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Create a sculpture that produces 10 different sounds, record each sound, and compile them using audio editing software. The project blends tactile, visual, and auditory experiences to explore sound as a material and sculptural element.
Progress & Play
I’ve been enjoying listening to random sounds for awhile now and imagining what I could turn them into. In this project, it was a playful and creative process of exploring sounds with this sculpture made out of found objects.
Rather than starting with a fixed idea, I approached the project by exploring what sounds I could create with different objects. I used shells, glass jars, pinecones, flowers, and other found materials to build a sculpture that felt both organic and layered. I paid attention to how each part sounded when tapped, brushed, or shaken.
Once I had the sculpture, I used Adobe Audition to record and arrange the sounds. I cleaned up the background noise using the software’s noise reduction tools and pieced the tracks together to highlight the subtle textures of each sound. The visual form of the sculpture also mattered to me, it needed to feel cohesive as an object, not just a sound source.
Materials Used
Glass jars (various sizes)
Seashells
Pinecones
Faux flowers and leaves
music box
LED string lights
small wood pieces
(Other found objects)
Audio recorder or smartphone
Adobe Audition (for noise reduction and layering tracks)
Lesson Idea for the Classroom
Sound Sculpture & Sound Design Workshop
Objective: Encourage students to explore sound as a sculptural and storytelling element.
Target Audience: Middle to high school students
Materials:
Recycled or found objects (jars, plastic, cardboard, metal, natural materials, etc.)
LED lights (optional for visual appeal)
Smartphones or basic audio recorders
Audio editing software (Audacity or Adobe Audition)
Instructions:
Begin with a sound walk—students listen and identify everyday sounds.
Collect objects that can produce distinct sounds.
Assemble those objects into a sculpture that is both visual and functional (it must produce at least 5 different sounds).
Record individual sounds created by interacting with the sculpture.
Edit the audio using software—students can clean noise, layer sounds, or create a short soundscape.
Present both the physical sculpture and the final audio composition.
This project helps students think across disciplines: combining sculpture, sound design, and storytelling through a hands-on, accessible format.
Artist Inspiration
For this sound sculpture, I looked at the work of Zimoun, a Swiss artist known for building sound-based installations using simple mechanical systems. His work often involves cardboard boxes, wires, motors, and other everyday materials that produce subtle, repetitive sounds.
What stood out to me was how Zimoun’s installations feel both industrial and organic. They create a sense of rhythm and presence through movement and sound, without needing complex visuals or traditional music. That approach sound by using familiar objects in unexpected ways, which resonated with how I thought about my own sculpture.
I wasn’t trying to replicate his work, but seeing how he brings sound and sculpture together helped me think more intentionally about how different materials could interact through sound.
Personal Reflection
This project offered a different way to think about sculpture, not just as something visual, but as something that also involves sound and time. I appreciated being able to experiment with materials I already had around, combining natural elements like shells and pinecones with manmade objects like lights and glass.
The editing process in Adobe Audition was an important part of the work. Removing background noise and layering the sounds helped give structure to the final piece. It reminded me that sound art, just like visual art, requires attention to detail and intentional decisions about what to keep and what to leave out.
The final sculpture felt like a balance between the visual and the audible. I was thinking not only about how it looked, but also how it could be interacted with through listening. It reinforced for me how much sound can contribute to mood, presence, and meaning in art.
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