Event 3: Sholeh Asgary: Atmosphere of Sound
Visiting Sholeh Asgary: Atmosphere of Sound at the CNSI Art Sci Gallery was such a cool opportunity I got to do this quarter! The installation, Qanat , centered around a traditional Iranian rug, struck a powerful balance between cultural memory, sound, and light. A single pin spot beam lights up the central motif of the rug, symbolizing a fountain, while sounds of water play through the space. Hanging above, a pendulum microphone fed those sounds into a bass amplifier beneath the rug, creating a feedback loop that responded to both environmental sound and visitor presence. My own photo! This piece was powerful because it made the visitor part of the artwork. The rug wasn’t just symbolic; it helped carry and amplify the sound. Where I stood, sat, or lay down, my movements changed the sounds in the space. A similar piece that came to mind was Rafael Lozano-Hemmer’s Pulse Room , where the artwork responds to the viewer’s heartbeat, making their body an essential part of the installation....