harmonic motion, 2021
Immersive installation
Cymbal, visible and audible cymbal vibrations
Dimensions variable
8:32 loop
This musical composition and immersive installation explores the vibrational and interconnected essence of the universe. It delves into the dynamic web of waves and resonances that link all matter and energy, permeating all aspects of existence, including the sound(s) we hear and the music we create.
At the center of the installation, a cymbal vibrates. A controlled electrical signal activates the cymbal resonance modes—the unique patterns at which it intrinsically vibrates. Thus, the cymbal's natural vibrations become audible to the visitors without any human touch. Also, drawing on interferometry, a scientific research technique, a custom laser system makes the cymbal’s vibrations visible. Fourteen reflections, arranged in a spiral fashion, “float” around the cymbal, forming a vortex-like configuration.
The temporal composition uses the cymbal’s audible and visible vibrations as the primary material. Thanks to a fixed electrical sequence, the cymbal and its surrounding space undergo various excitation levels in an abstract, cyclic narrative that explores the complexity of the instrument’s vibrational spectrum. What is heard and seen are inseparable and equally important in the composition.
Despite the fixed electrical sequence, the cymbal's interaction with its environment constantly alters the piece. Environmental changes in humidity, temperature, or number of people in the room introduce unpredictable variations in the cymbal's resonance. Visitors listen, observe, and navigate this real-world dynamic environment that expands the experience and interpretation of the physical reality that otherwise escapes our senses.
By integrating hybrid forms of knowledge, the work searches for the ungraspable in a world that we experience daily. It poetically explores our existence, placing the human being and human artifacts within a natural structure that is intrinsically active, interconnected, and unified.
