This musical installation provides a calm break for shoppers in a metropolitan mall in Montreal. A large, slim circular ring hangs from the ceiling in the middle of a walkway connecting the Place-des-Artes metro and Complexe Desjardins, giving off peaceful sounds to those who stand or walk beneath it.
Copenhagan-based artist Tobias Ebsen created this piece as a part of the larger 'Concept Space?' initiative. It acts as a contrast to the bustling, and often stressful, noise in a shopping mall. Questioning the use of public space, he chose to create a musical installation since there are already so many visual stimuli in a shopping complex. The final piece aims to surround people with sound to spark feelings of "intimacy and contemplation."
Serene Sound Sculptures
This Musical Installation Provides Peaceful Sounds in the Middle of a Mall
Trend Themes
1. Soundscapes for Retail Spaces - Innovative musical installations are being introduced in shopping centres and retail spaces to create a calming and peaceful environment for customers.
2. Sensory Marketing - Brands and retailers are exploring opportunities to use different senses to create unique experiences for customers, and to differentiate themselves from competitors.
3. Experience-driven Design - Designers and architects are creating spaces that prioritize human experience, beyond practicality and aesthetics, in order to provide unique and memorable experiences for customers.
Industry Implications
1. Retail - Retailers are incorporating calming and peaceful installations, such as sound sculptures, in their stores to create a more pleasant shopping experience for customers, leading to higher engagement and sales.
2. Art and Design - Artists and designers are creating installations and experiences that prioritize human experience and emotions, utilizing different senses beyond visual, and disrupting traditional concepts of public and private spaces.
3. Architecture - Architects are creating innovative and engaging designs that prioritize human experience, such as installations and experiences that utilize different senses and create calming environments in traditionally stressful spaces like shopping malls and retail outlets.