Instruments of Light Dependent Vibration
Made in collaboration with Nick Cohen and John Robertson-Dwyer
Touring sculptural sound installation formed from unique, mechanical, acoustic musical instruments which respond in real time to the environment they inhabit to create an immersive, contemplative and organically shifting texture of sounds.
Each instrument includes a bespoke light sensing analogue circuit controlling cycles of energy that are transmitted to a vibrator, exciting sounds with chaotic motion within each pyramidal structure. The light reaching each instrument affects the length of silence within each cycle: the less light there is, the more time it takes to create the next sound. With each instrument receiving a different amount of light, the length of each cycle varies and changes slowly over the course of the day. Sounds dominate in the light, silences in the dark, with the most notable shifts happening at sunrise and sunset. Like hanging offerings, the instruments are suspended from tree branches, the silhouettes of which are cast onto their canvas sides. They're designed for the outdoors but also sound great indoors.
Public showings include Holmfirth Arts Festival (2023), Onwards Festival (2023), Electric Spring Festival (University of Huddersfield, 2024).
Project supported by Arts Council England via the Developing Your Creative Practice Grant
Solarphones
Touring sound sculpture installation formed from unique solar powered instruments. Album of installation recordings out now via Them There recordsCassette/Download available here: https://themthere.bandcamp.com/album/solarphones
Small solar panels power a chaotic mechanical system contained within bespoke wooden enclosures, each containing 7 tuneable guitar strings. The system produces random sequences of notes, dictated by the amount of sunlight and wind. Designed to connect directly with the environment in the present moment - there is no capacity to store energy and no batteries are used - they only sound when there is sufficient light.
Public showings of Solarphones include: Kensington and Chelsea Art Week (2020), Holmfirth Arts Festival (2021, 2022), End of the Road Festival (2021), Supernormal Festival for Colour Out of Space (2022), Green Man Festival (2022, 2023), Deer Shed Festival (2023).
The installation is available for further showings.
Solar Chimes
Sound sculpture installation formed from unique solar powered instruments.
14 copper chimes, each tuned differently by ear in a unique way, suspended from tree branches and sounded by solar powered vibrating motors, which respond directly to the sun light - no batteries or capacitors. Yellow cables reach out towards the light, connected to small solar panels mounted on found slate. More than one pitch can be heard from each chime, depending on how excited they get. The notes they sing are always subtly changing due to changes in light and the chaotic movement of the vibrators, creating a static but constantly shifting mega chord to sit inside. Commission by Theatre Hullabaloo for their family friendly festival in South Park, Darlington, July 12-25, 2021
