Cimbalom Circle
Improvised orchestras from pedestrian choreographies
Kinetic musical bench
Daydreamer is a sculptural series of illuminated, slowly rotating public benches, accompanied by gentle music. Conceived to create a ritual around a moment of pause in the urban realm, the artwork stimulates imagination and relaxation, and encourages a communal, synced up experience in a shared, calming soundscape.
A first set of 3 benchs has been installed in the City of Southbend (US) in the fall of 2022.
South Bend, Indiana, USA
Yes!
Rocking has been known to induce a state of daydreaming, proven to lessen stress and anxiety, while opening up the mind to be more intuitive, imaginative at finding solutions by simply letting go for a while.
Another founding principle of the artwork is synchronicity. According to different studies, synchronous activity strengthens social attachments among the group well beyond the moment of coming together. The artwork encourages slow, rocking, synchronous motions to collectively create calming soundscapes, bringing a therapeutic quality to public space.
Three revolving benches host a sound and sensing system. Each structure accommodates up to four people, and is finished in canadian white oak with a powder-coated aluminum arch. Interactive LED lights are integrated in the arch and under the seat to emphasize movement. When people sit and start pushing the benches to rock or spin, a bespoke pivot mechanism ensures the motion is slow, while the responsive system plays recordings of the human voice.
The notes that are sung depend on the benches’ position and direction of travel. The volume of the voices is dictated by the speed of movement. By mapping musical parameters to different physical states, a gestural link is created between body movement and music. Each bench occupies a slightly different musical register; soprano, alto and tenor. Voices sing more complex partitions when benches are moved in synchronicity to encourage collaboration between players. The ensemble is an evolutive tapestry of tension, release, motion and stillness.
« Daydreamer places a chorus of deep hums and light song in a park, emanating from a trio of lit arches, hovering at each end above the ground, as if floating. The harmonies created on the spinning, singing benches in Indiana are designed to connect people in public spaces. »
_Wallpaper Magazine