Download PDF - David Fried

Self Organizing Still Life [SOS]
Sound stimulated interactive Sculptures
Traditionally, the acronym S.O.S implies communication within the trust of an interdependent social
system. Fried has chosen “Self Organizing Still-Life” (SOS), as the working title for his ongoing series
of interactive, sound-stimulated kinetic sculptures, which reveal his exploration into the inherent
qualities of networked and emergent systems intrinsic to nature, social relationships and individual
psyche.
Whatever the scale or materials used for the SOS, they all consist of solid spheres, which are stirred
into motion by ambient sound on a predetermined level object. Audible sound is transformed live into
waves that silently stimulate each of the spheres into motion. The resulting action of the individual
spheres and their interactions with one another are undetermined. They rearrange themselves in
continually new patterns of elegantly fluid choreography. Some kiss, some spin off alone, while others
race head-on only to meet with a soft embrace, or swerve around one another, often changing the
path and destiny of each other without physical contact, as each sphere is able to feel one another.
No two spheres are alike – each is composed of either solid stone or synthetic polymers layered with
organic materials such as marble dust and rare earth, with no moving parts. This infuses them with
unique bipolar qualities, and an ability to interact with each other in inimitable and unexpected ways
on an elemental level, rather than a mechanical one. Fried is therefore able to give each sphere an
individual personality, allowing them to respond and behave differently to sound, and with each SOS,
create an entirely unique interdependent family of individuals.
Like two people would dance differently to the same music, the spheres interact in a unique and
live choreography directly initiated by its environment. “The SOS differs from an oscilloscope in that
it doesn‘t translate the sound into a descriptive visualization – it transforms it live into the purely
probabilistic language of emergent complexity.” When an acoustic signal is no longer detected, the
spheres come to rest, playing stil-life, in ever-different constellations.
As we simultaneously influence and trace the movements of the spheres, our attention becomes
increasingly focused on the non-linear dynamic relationships that unfold between them, effectively
shifting the emphasis away from the individual objects themselves towards a highly subjective
glimpse of a bigger picture.
Creating a complex live visual experience, Fried‘s interactive sculptures are compelling by their
symbolically provocative simplicity, as the viewer is moved to forge perspectives on relationships,
life and the universe of thought.
Video-clips of SOS sculptures interacting in diferent
environments, are available on DVD, or by visiting
www.davidfried.com.