Sphere Packing

Subsculpture 15

"Sphere Packing" (Subsculpture 15) is a series of 3D-printed pieces designed to concentrate the entire musical production of a composer in a single dense multi-channel device. The size of each sphere is directly proportional to how prolific the composer was; for example the sphere for Hildegaard Von Bingen has an 11 cm diameter and 69 loudspeakers. The project presents at a glance the comparative production volume of many composers. As people are a couple of metres away from a sphere, they hear a quiet murmur of sounds, but as they approach and put their ears up close to individual speakers, they can hone in on specific compositions. The series is inspired by American composer Charles Ives' practice of simultaneity as a compositional tool.

Technically, a set of custom-made circuit boards allow the simultaneous playback of thousands of separate sound channels. The spheres are modeled algorithmically and then 3D printed in different materials depending on the composer. Each piece is suspended from a small playback box which is hung from the ceiling of the exhibition space. The piece begins playback immediately upon powering the box with 110 or 220V power. A small remote control allows the curator or collector to set an appropriate volume for the piece, although the piece is very quiet by its very design, even at its maximum volume a sphere produces a din that can be heard from about a 3 m radius. To discern individual compositions the public must be right beside a sphere, 5 cm away.

The recordings used are either in the public domain or legally purchased for the piece. Mitigating copyright concerns is that the volume of each track is extremely quiet and that a track can only be heard in the context of the other music being played-back.

General info

Spanish name:
Empaquetamiento de Esferas
Year of creation:
2013

Conlon Nancarrow

Technique:
3D print sphere, 79 channels of sound, custom-made electronics, stainless steel, IR remote control
Power:
75W on 110 OR 220V
Dimensions:
TBC
Edition:
3 Editions, 1 AP

George Frideric Handel

Technique:
3D print sphere, 612 channels of sound, custom-made electronics, stainless steel, IR remote control
Power:
225W on 110 OR 220V
Dimensions:
TBC
Edition:
3 Editions, 1 AP

Igor Stravinsky

Technique:
3D print sphere, 129 channels of sound, custom-made electronics, stainless steel, IR remote control
Power:
75W on 110 OR 220V
Dimensions:
TBC
Edition:
3 Editions, 1 AP

Krzysztof Penderecki

Technique:
3D print sphere, 151 channels of sound, custom-made electronics, stainless steel, IR remote control
Power:
75W on 110 OR 220V
Dimensions:
TBC
Edition:
3 Editions, 1 AP

Ludwig van Beethoven

Technique:
Transparent acrylic, 488 channels of sound, custom-made electronics, stainless steel, IR remote control
Power:
150W on 110 OR 220V
Dimensions:
The sphere has a 27.8 cm diameter.
Keywords:
indoor, sound, database, generator
Edition:
3 Editions, 1 AP
Collectors:
private collector

John Cage

Technique:
White Plastic Formiga 3D print (dyed with dark blue tint), 269 channels of sound, custom-made electronics, stainless steel, IR remote control
Power:
150W on 110 OR 220V
Dimensions:
The sphere has a 23.6 cm diameter.
Keywords:
indoor, sound, database, generator
Edition:
3 Editions, 1 AP
Collectors:
private collector

Henryk Mikołaj Górecki

Technique:
Transparent polymer 3D print (dyed with dark red tint), 105 channels of sound, custom-made electronics, stainless steel, IR remote control
Power:
75W on 110 OR 220V
Dimensions:
The sphere has a 12.4 cm diameter.
Weight:
3 Kg
Keywords:
indoor, sound, database, generator
Edition:
3 Editions, 1 AP

Charles Ives

Technique:
Glazed ceramic 3D print, 128 channels of sound, custom-made electronics, stainless steel, IR remote control
Power:
75W on 110 OR 220V
Dimensions:
The sphere has a 13 cm diameter.
Keywords:
indoor, sound, database, generator
Edition:
3 Editions, 1 AP

György Ligeti

Technique:
Frosted polymer 3D print (dyed with dark orange tint), 87 channels of sound, custom-made electronics, stainless steel, IR remote control
Power:
75W on 110 OR 220V
Dimensions:
The sphere has a 11.2 cm diameter.
Weight:
2.5 Kg
Keywords:
indoor, sound, database, generator
Edition:
3 Editions, 1 AP

Gustav Mahler

Technique:
Polished nickel steel 3D print, 39 channels of sound, custom-made electronics, stainless steel, IR remote control
Power:
75W on 110 OR 220V
Dimensions:
The sphere has a 10.8 cm diameter.
Keywords:
indoor, sound, database, generator
Edition:
3 Editions, 1 AP

Claudio Monteverdi

Technique:
Matte gold steel 3D print, 17 channels of sound, custom-made electronics, stainless steel, IR remote control
Power:
75W on 110 OR 220V
Dimensions:
The sphere has a 6.6 cm diameter.
Keywords:
indoor, sound, database, generator
Edition:
3 Editions, 1 AP

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

Technique:
White polymer 3D print, 565 channels of sound, custom-made electronics, stainless steel, IR remote control
Power:
150W on 110 OR 220V
Dimensions:
The sphere has a 35 cm diameter.
Weight:
5 Kg
Keywords:
indoor, sound, database, generator
Edition:
3 Editions, 1 AP
Collectors:
private collectors

Luigi Nono

Technique:
Satin ceramic 3D print, 70 channels of sound, custom-made electronics, stainless steel, IR remote control
Power:
75W on 110 OR 220V
Dimensions:
The sphere has a 13.7 cm diameter.
Keywords:
indoor, sound, database, generator
Edition:
3 Editions, 1 AP

Franz Schubert

Technique:
White Plastic Formiga 3D print (dyed with green tint), 998 channels of sound, custom-made electronics, stainless steel, IR remote control
Power:
300W on 110 OR 220V
Dimensions:
The sphere has a 45 cm diameter.
Keywords:
indoor, sound, database, generator
Edition:
3 Editions, 1 AP

Karlheinz Stockhausen

Technique:
Aluminium composite 3D print, 203 channels of sound, custom-made electronics, stainless steel, IR remote control
Power:
150W on 110 OR 220V
Dimensions:
The sphere has an 17.75 cm diameter.
Weight:
3 Kg
Keywords:
indoor, sound, database, generator
Edition:
3 Editions, 1 AP

Hildegard von Bingen

Technique:
Bronzed steel 3D print, 69 channels of sound, custom-made electronics, stainless steel, IR remote control
Power:
75W on 110 OR 220V
Dimensions:
The sphere has a 10.8 cm diameter.
Weight:
3 Kg
Keywords:
indoor, sound, database, generator
Edition:
3 Editions, 1 AP
Collectors:
private collector

Richard Wagner

Technique:
Glazed porcelain 3D print, 113 channels of sound, custom-made electronics, stainless steel, IR remote control
Power:
75W on 110 OR 220V
Dimensions:
The sphere has a 13 cm diameter.
Weight:
3 Kg
Keywords:
indoor, sound, database, generator
Edition:
3 Editions, 1 AP
Collectors:
private collector

Constellation of 5 composers

Technique:
Five 3D-printed spheres, custom-made electronics, stainless steel, IR remote controls
Power:
variable
Dimensions:
variable
Additional info:
Consists of 5 different composers.
Keywords:
indoor, sound, database, generator
Edition:
3 Editions, 1 AP

Constellation of 17 composers

Power:
variable
Weight:
2.5 Kg
Additional info:
Consists of: Ludwig van Beethoven, John Cage, Henryk Mikołaj Górecki, George Frideric Handel, Charles Ives, György Ligeti, Gustav Mahler, Claudio Monteverdi, Wolfgang A. Mozart, Conlon Nancarrow, Luigi Nono, Krzysztof Penderecki, Franz Schubert, Karlheinz Stockhausen, Igor Stravinsky, Hildegard von Bingen, Richard Wagner
Keywords:
indoor, sound, database, generator
Edition:
1 Edition, 1 AP

Exhibitions


Credits

  • Programming: Jordan Parsons
  • Hardware: Jordan Parsons
  • Production Assistance: Stephan Schulz, Claudia Espinosa, Orion Szydel, Julie Bourgeois, Karine Charbonneau, Pierre Fournier, Carolina Murillo-Morales, Sergio Clavijo

Links


Bibliography