Sound Modulated Light #1 is a lights-and-sounds project designed by Edwin Van Der Heide, an artist from The Netherlands. Considering the dynamics triggered to activate the installation, Sound Modulated could be considered a cause-effect relation. A concatenation of events where the sound isn't generated acoustically, but irradiated by a light. Those who visit this installation are given a headphone and an electric torch. By activating the device, people can shoot a light ray that can hit one of the photosensitive nodes in a mesh placed against the walls. According to which node is hit, people hear a sound in their headphones, modulated according to the intensity of the light. So, the light receiver behaves like a radio receiver and the balance between the different sounds depends on the intensity of the light captured by the receiver. Moving the torch produces different combinations. In this environment, which changes constantly and dynamically, sound is perceived as a fourth dimension that becomes visible through light and can be heard through the headphones. Sound Modulated becomes a participatory set where the visitors are encouraged to explore and interact with for a true synesthetic experience.
Francesca Tomassini