Wave

Masamichi Shimada

Kochi, Japan

Just as tapping the rim of a glass of water makes a sound, does the Earth make a sound when you touch it? Perhaps the sound will change with our human behavior toward the Earth. This interactive installation expresses the echoes returned from tapping the Earth by converting them into waves of light (ripples) that appear on the ground when the viewer touches the Earth with a special wand.

Pro Tip

Try lightly tapping the silver wand provided in the square on the ground. Each tap will produce a different rhythm of light ripples and sounds. If there are no other users before you, the work may be in sleep mode. Lift the wand once to wake it up.

Inside the Installation

Materials: Iron, aluminum, microcontrollers, LEDs, servo motors.

  1. The inspiration for this work came to me while I was in an outdoor hot spring. It started raining while I was bathing, and I was inspired by the interesting patterns formed by the raindrops in front of my eyes. 

  2. From the initial idea to the prototype, the artwork went through four versions over a three-year period before arriving at the current form. 

  3. The distance from the ground to the top is about 16 feet.

  4. The sounds used in this work were recorded from the a steel tongue drum.

  5. The rotating body of the work is equipped with 12 LED lights with lenses. Three LED lights light up simultaneously to form a circle.

Artist Bio

Masamichi Shimada

Inspired by the “mystery” evoked by the forms and behaviors found in nature, Masamichi creates three-dimensional works using LED light sources and industrial materials such as iron and plastic. These works are then presented as light installations. Over the course of his career, Masamichi has showcased work at light festivals around the world.

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