The Sound of Silence
"The Sound of Silence" is a conceptual art project by Yiyuan Bai that explores the impact of human noise on birds, highlighting how human activity inadvertently causes harm to innocent creatures. The artwork suggests that while noise is an intangible force, its effects are real and harmful, much like an invisible sword that ages and deteriorates the lives of birds. The project intends to make the audience aware of this impact, fostering a sense of empathy and urging them to reflect on their actions to reduce noise pollution and its effects on wildlife.
Materials and Design:
The wearable art piece is constructed using a combination of metal rings, brass tubes, and leather. The choice of materials is deliberate: brass is selected for its acoustic properties, which amplify the sound when the brass tubes interact with each other. Leather is used for flexibility and to secure the device to the arm, mimicking the structure and movement of bird wings. This design is inspired by the frequent and often aggressive movements humans make towards animals, such as tapping, slapping, or kicking, which is symbolized by the placement of the wearable on the arms.
Technical Details and Experimentation:
The design underwent a series of experiments to determine the most effective materials and configurations for sound production. Tests with brass plates and tubes revealed that hollow brass tubes of a specific thickness (5mm) produced the most piercing and resonant sounds, which was the desired effect to symbolize the harshness of human noise. The artist also incorporated a color-fading effect on the brass tubes to reflect the aging process of birds exposed to constant noise, drawing a parallel between visual degradation and the decline of bird populations in noisy environments.
Intended Message and Audience Interaction:
Through this project, Yiyuan Bai aims to raise awareness about the effects of noise pollution on bird life. The installation invites viewers to interact with the wearable devices, allowing them to experience firsthand the creation of sound and its potentially harmful consequences. This interaction serves as a metaphor for human behavior, encouraging reflection on how everyday actions can have unintended, negative impacts on nature. By engaging with the artwork, the audience is encouraged to develop a deeper understanding and consideration for the natural world and the need to protect it from the damaging effects of human activities.
Overall, "The Sound of Silence" serves as both a warning and a call to action, using art to communicate a critical environmental message about the consequences of unchecked human noise.
Photographer: Yanxin Guo
Makeup Artist: Wenxiu Zheng
Designer: Yiyuan Bai
Model: Siyu Niu
