"Concentric" is an interactive sound and light installation that examines an intrinsic link between our perceptual consciousness and the sonic vibrations surrounding us. This piece engages participants to utilize a group dynamic to create a harmonious union of sonic and mental energy. These harmonizing vibrations are dispersed throughout the gallery space in the form of sound and light.
     Concentric consists of three large horns whose bell ends converge around a large glass water bowl. These horns resemble primitive wind instruments and require no skill or practice to play. The participant simply speaks, sings, chants, or creates any noise they wish into the mouthpiece. These sounds in turn illuminate and vibrate the water inside the bowl. These vibrations are heard throughout the gallery space, felt throughout the body, and seen as intricate patterns in the water and dancing silhouettes on the gallery walls.
     This artwork utilizes the participant's interactions as a collaborative group to fuel dynamic personal experiences. Each viewer's participation is an essential component of the artwork. The timbre of their voice and their choice in vocal expressions allow this piece to be a subjective experience to each contributor. Furthermore, the individual sounds created by each participant will influence the creation of the overall sound and thus impact the other players and surrounding viewers.
      As audience members engage this artwork, an atmosphere of teaching and learning, experimentation, and communication arises. The participants work together to create tones that move the water and that please the ear. As the players begin to quickly master the instrument, they osmose with the experience, becoming in tune with the vibration, sound and light. Akin to meditation, this piece is felt within, shaped by the depth of immersion the participant chooses to explore. As the audience members in the gallery are bathed in sound and light, they watch, learn, and wait for their turn to create a unique interaction.
     This installation was created utilizing research into the use of sound as a tool of meditation, spiritual cultivation, and community bonding in many different cultures. Many cultures believe that the vibrational sounds created with instruments and voice can help them to access higher dimensions of reality. These dimensions are not experienced in normal waking states. I am interested in the comparisons between this research and numerous scientific studies that examine the profound effects of sonic vibrations on human brain wave activity and states of consciousness.