EL GRAN MONO – Column Speaker Design and Fabrication

El Gran Mono - The first Picó Sound System built outside of Colombia
One of the 16 speakers provided, the starting point and platform upon which the Picó Turbo transformation was to be undertaken.
The existing faces were cut back and a removable framing system to hold the traditional artwork needed to be designed.
Once designed, removable frames matching the Picó's unique curving fluid profile were fabricated.
The existing rounded edges on the speaker body were removed and replaced with the complex angles needed for the traditional profile.
The new Picó profile established on all edges.
The surfaces were laminated in keeping with tradition (note: the dowelling system to hold the removable and screwless frames)
The final finish of the frame system mounting the artwork needed to show no screws, have seemless joins, and be easily removable while remaining sturdy.
The artwork brought to Australia all the way from Colombia, which is extremely rare and precious .. Measure twice before you cut hand painted, imported, culturally significant artwork.
The profiling issues solved, the lamination complete, removable frame system designed, fabricated, and mounted .. 1 of 16 pictured.
The steel edging needed to be cut, bent, and formed to it's corresponding edge .. an important step for authenticity, and protection against laminate damage during use and transportation.
4 of 16 finsihed .. There were so many it was difficult to fit them all in frame, while close enough to see details.
ZIG ZAG RAH holding one of the finished 16 on delivery day
One column showing off it's luminescent beauty
THE PICÓ TURBO 12 .. Being exhbited at The 24th Bienalle of Sydney (only 12 of the 16 total pictured) .. there wasnt enough room to exhibit the full compliment.

Picó are huge, hand-painted fluorescent speaker stacks, often found blasting tropical music in the neighbourhoods of cities such as Barranquilla, Cartagena and Santa Marta.

EL GRAN MONO is Melbourne’s own Picó, painted by the great Colombian sound system artist William “El Maestro” Gutierrez and the first of it’s kind in the world to be built outside of Colombia.

BRIEF / The team at El Gran Mono required 16 column speakers to be built to pair with the main Picó, adding these extra speakers being a momentous upgrade, transforming the system to an even rarer configuration known as a ‘Turbo Picó’. To achieve this they required 16 ‘way loud’ column speakers redesigned and converted to match the authentic profiles, finishes, and materials that Picó systems are famous for. Most important among these considerations and design challenges was suitably showcasing the iconic Picó artwork in a removable frame, while maintaining a screw less fitting method and finish to the facade.

The authenticity of the end product for this project was of the utmost importance, as conserving, promoting, and honoring the traditions of Picó culture is Tom and Josh’s (El Gran Mono founders) guiding principle in everything they do.