Feeling sounds, hearing emotions at “Biorhythm” exhibit

By Shaira F. Panela, GMA News

Published November 23, 2012 7:26pm

Imagine lying in bed and being bathed with music, or try stacking Lego blocks to compose a tune. You could even listen to a surreal symphony of prosthetic musical instruments; specially crafted and attached to parts of the human body.

These and the rest of the 14 installations from across the globe are featured in a traveling exhibit that recently made its stop on Philippines shores.

In a press launch on Nov. 19, The Mind Museum in Taguig City showed their first traveling exhibit, "Biorhythm: An exhibition exploring the relationship between music and the body," aimed to wake people's senses in the universal language.

"Music is one of the most if not the most powerful expression of our humanity. No culture lives without it," said museum curator Maria Isabel Garcia.

Conor Courtney, researcher and facilitator at Science Gallery, told GMA News Online that Science Gallery called for experiments and artworks which would fit their theme. From the applications, they chose finalists which they funded and included in the exhibit.

"Music is a central part of the human experience, but what is the natural force that drives us to sing, strum, drum and dance? What is the scientific basis of whistling, humming and toe-tapping?" said Michael John Gorman, founding director of Science Gallery in a statement.

"The installations cover art[works] like the 'Instrumen,' and science like the experimental 'Emotion in Motion,' and everything in between," said Courtney.

"Instrumen" itself is a video of three musicians who make music through prostheses. These are musical instruments designed specifically to be "extensions" of their body.

Meanwhile, "Emotion in Motion" is an on-going international study of how the body reacts to certain types of music. The "reactable" piece table consists of blocks which can create various types of sounds and have unique functions, as well as a touch-sensitive surface that identifies how the blocks create music.

Its caption reads, "Make music in a different way. Interact with the Reactable and play around with beats using a touch sensitive surface." Courtney confesses that it his favorite installation

A biologist by education, Courtney said that he has little knowledge about music, except for taking guitar lessons back in grade school.

Through “Reactable”, Courtney said, "I could be a DJ even just for a few moments."

The exhibit was originally from Science Gallery of Dublin, Ireland and has been traveling the globe since 2011. Its past stops include the Eyebeam Art + Technology Center in New York City and the Science Center Singapore.

"Biorhythm: An exhibition exploring the relationship between music and the body," is currently on display at the Special Exhibition Hall of The Mind Museum until Feb. 15, 2013.

The Mind Museum is open from Tuesdays to Saturdays, from 9:00 am until 6:00 pm on weekdays, and until 9:00 pm on weekends.

Ticket prices range from P200 (children/students) to P950 (all-day pass + Biorhythm), depending on the number of exhibits to be visited. — TJD, GMA News

Tags: science, biorhythm, acoustics, emotions, sound