Three rotating acoustic brass mirrors reflect sound/light in the room and explore possibilities of expanding the spatial qualities of the sound with this (slightly forgotten?) technique. Each object is independently controlled via ARM MCU placed in the body of each object. Timing (on/off states) and rotation speed are “randomly” generated. The speed of the engine creates pitch characteristic of these sort of mechanical oscillators. (Dis)harmony of three elements in space are evolving in time in softly unpredictable way. Beside the mechanical sound of the stepper motors there are also synthesized basic sound signals (sine, saw, white noise). Synthesized sounds are amplified and acoustic waveforms from speakers are reflected and distributed into the space by rotating brass parabola. Cumulation and circulation of acoustic energy in the room is done and explored with this elemental mechanical spatialization technique. Symbolically installation Perplex deals with the theory of information and (dis)interpretation of the signal sources by multiple reflections/distortions in the signal chain. Objects reminds radar predecessors: acoustic mirrors installed in Great Britain seashore that were planned to use for detecting arriving fighters. Radar was invented soon so these concrete sonic monsters didn’t serve their original purpose. I use this slightly forgotten obsolete technique in a context of spatial audio sound art world to explore its possibilities in robotic/controlled approach.

curators: Zuzana Janečková, Marika Kupková

photo: www.fotomisad.cz

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