In the spring of 2016 we were contacted by Archer Malmo to help them realize their promotion for KMFA 89.5FM, Austin’s classical radio station. And the idea was brilliant, ambitious, and had never before been attempted. They wanted to create a giant art piece that was part sign, part metronome, and was controlled by social media! Thus the Metronome of Austin was born. The beautifully illustrated and lit sign can remotely measure the amount of Twitter activity in the City of Austin, and then change speeds and pendulum color depending on the amount of Twitter traffic coming from the city. The sign, built in cooperation with Adventure Sign Shop, was displayed for the month of October 2016 in Brush Square Park thanks to the generous staff at the Susanna Dickinson Museum, and the O. Henry Museum.

The KMFA metronome is a data visualization art project showcasing our unique connection to Austin. This fully functioning metronome is powered by the frequency of tweets by Austinites and reflects the beat of the city.