Qanat
2018
Microphone, amplifiers, shadow, transducer, carpet, mixer, pedal, light, presence
9.5 x 12 feet
Qanat is an interactive sound and light installation named after the ancient Iranian underground water channel system. The resonant qualities of a traditional Iranian rug are amplified with the sound of water, as a pendulum microphone above picks up the amplified sounds from the rug, movements, and room tone, creating a live feedback loop. The central motif of the rug, traditionally signifying a fountain, may appear to undulate and move, as a pin beam light casts an elongated shadow--an inverse reference to the mythical "Peacock's Tail" in ancient Iranian and Islamic dome architecture. Visitors may sit, lay, or stand on the rug, affecting sound transmission throughout the space, as each presence slightly affects the space.
Commissioned by SoundWave Biennial
Associated:
Photographic documentation by Jorge Bachmann
