Swamp orchestra
Swamp orchestra is an interactive sound installation that creates a specific sound ecosystem and explores the realm of natural and artificial.
The installation is made of 16 light sensitive sound modules, where every one of them produces random noise. Each module responds to a flashlight and the sound varies from the quantity of the light.
These small modules make sound like many biological organisms, such as frogs, birds or insects. And like most of them, they need light to exist and to sing to their highest potential. They have certain patterns and repetitive processes which can be altered by external influence of the light.
Swamp orchestra seemingly functions as sound sculpture which in a subtle way changes the ambience and acoustic experience of the space but also has a substantial presence as a work of physical sculpture.
The set up itself reflects the layout of a concert hall stage on a much smaller scale. The pyramid shape has been carefully chosen for its symbolism as well as modularity where 3 or 5 pyramids form the cube.
The interplay between nature and the machine, human intervention and artifice is complex and multi-layered. The programming, as well as electronics for this installation is excellent example of this. Each of the lamps that shine above every module represents a personal conductor of an oscillator and it is controlled by the Arduino. This enables endless variations of composing the peace but also allows the participant to slow down and notice the subtleties of the composition.