2 minute read
ART WITHIN SURFACES
© Alter Projects
Yuri Suzuki’s colourful art installation at the centre of London allows visitors to listen to city sounds and communicate with each other in-person again, thanks to the antibacterial paintings used to coat the entire sculpture.
Bringing people together through sound and facilitating their communication is the main goal of Sonic Bloom, the colourful interactive, community-focused, multi-sensory art installation created by the sound artist and designer Yuri Suzuki. Located at Brown Hart Gardens in London’s Mayfair area, near the Oxford shopping district, Sonic Bloom is open to the public from 23rd August 2021 and will be possible to visit it for a year. The artwork features a cluster of colourful horn-shaped speaking tubes through which people can communicate. Moreover, the ones at the top of the sculpture capture the city’s sounds and amplify them. To ensure the safety of the people and allow them to gather and experience community life without risks, the entire sculpture has been painted using antibacterial coatings and is cleaned daily. The name of the installation derives from its form, a network of red, yellow and blue trumpets resembling a blooming flower. The choice of the painted colours has been dictated by the artist’s favourite colour palettes. “I chose primary colours because I am dyslexic and they help with reading. With these clear divisions, people can easily identify the passage of sound. Primary colours also will fit very well into any landscape. I have created sculptures in public realms before and primary colours do not conflict with landscapes and environments.” The layout of the artwork was designed to be inclusive, so it features seats and horns in various positions, in order to make it possible for people with disabilities and elders to experience the sculpture. “I personally think just a statue standing in public realms does not give enough function to the community. If people actively use it, then public art has a meaning,” explained Suzuki. The art installation includes also digital elements for people that are unable to travel to the British capital: the voices of the users have been recorded and edited into flower animations that are freely accessible on the neighbourhood’s website. This aspect further expands the important concept of accessibility and inclusiveness, especially during a period national lockdowns and travel restrictions. Sonic Bloom has been developed to be dismantled and then reassembled easily in other locations, avoiding waste.
For further information: www.yurisuzuki.com and www.alter-projects.com
