Seaweed Soundgarden Series

This is a wall-mounted sound sculpture. Site specific plant selection & field recordings combine in this abstraction of landscape.

A dried sugar kelp floats inches from the wall, held in place by magnetic force. Conductive thread is integrated into the seaweed. Conductive thread is sewn as a pattern of concentric circles into the kelp & connected to a sound board. A small earth magnet is mounted on the back side of the kelp, seated on the coil of conductive thread. When a viewer presses the colorful button, an audio signal is sent from the sound board via the conductive thread. In response, the magnet vibrates, causing a sympathetic vibration of the membrane of the kelp. The kelp then acts as an audio speaker. The prerecorded audio comes from field recordings gathered during exploratory hikes of the coastal regions of Downeast Maine & the Bay of Fundy. I began this project as a StudioWorks resident at the Tides Institute & Museum of Art, in a bewildering & awe-inspiring landscape. 

This piece is viewer activated via a push button. Compact electrical components are hidden from view behind a narrow band of ebony wood at the bottom of the sculpture. Pressing the button once initiates sound playback. Pressing the button a second time stops playback. 

Listen to an audio sample here.