Toby Hinks

Foci is an interactive sound sculpture, consisting of two sonically responsive spheric forms. The resonant tone of a metal bowl is activated by the circling movement of large steel ball-bearings, set in motion by a single visitor. Contact mics and a surface speaker transfer the vibration from the bottom dish to the large metal dome above, which in turn projects these sounds downward creating a defined area around the sculpture and giving the visitor a sense of standing in a tangible architectural space.

The installation exploits a disconnect between the visual and aural perception of space. The visitor’s involvement in the working of the sculpture highlights the role of our own agency in sonically defining architectural space, as well as creating a personal sonic-spatial experience through physical interaction.