Sonic Windows is an immersive sound environment; a meditative space that allows listeners to unplug from their audio devices and into the constant, ever changing soundscape underwater.
Using home built underwater microphones which are installed in pairs (to create a live, stereo feed), participants can listen and enjoy the sonic environment in a way which is otherwise impossible with our air-tuned ears.
One of the primary ways that we perceive the direction of sound is through the time delay of when sound hits your two ears. Underwater, sound moves 4 – 5 times as fast so we cannot perceive the location or movement of sound. A significant part of our brains perception of sound is devoted to location. It matters much more for our survival to know WHERE a lion sound is coming from than the pitch range of that particular growl. By mounting Hydrophones 4 – 5 head spaces apart, the result is a soundscape where we can perceive the movement of ships, animals, and other underwater sound. The result is a particularly immersive sonic environment.
Taking inspiration from sailors ditty boxes, we’ve built the listening station boxes from timber reclaimed from a 60 year old boat, abandoned in the San Francisco Bay. Listeners can plug their own headphones into these boxes or use a pair provided.
