Bodily Nature
Bodily Nature invites viewers to reconnect with the environment—not by observing it, but by becoming part of it. The installation transforms human voices into layered natural soundscapes, mapping vocal expression to elemental forces like earth, wind, water, and space. It proposes that to “protect” nature is not to control it, but to co-exist with it—to be in resonance.
Drawing on theories from Stacy Alaimo, Donna Haraway, and Samantha Frost, the work explores how the human body, voice, and breath can become bridges between technology and the natural world. It treats sound as both a communicative medium and a material force—one that can reshape our sense of ecological presence.
Year of Creation
Type
2025
Immersive Sound Installation
Materials
3D printed PLA, dual speakers, speaker amplifier, WS2812 LEDs, vines and leaves, microphone, computer, metal heavy-duty stand, metal wire
Installation at Dark Place
Installation at Bright Interior Space
Idea&Concept Render Version
Conceptual Framing
Bodily Nature is an interactive installation that explores how the human voice—an intimate expression of breath and presence—can serve as a bridge to ecological awareness. The work transforms vocal input into a responsive natural soundscape, inviting participants to engage not through representation, but through resonance.
Central to the design is a suspended circular ring, forming an immersive acoustic and visual environment. This ring physically frames the participant, referencing cycles in nature and symbolizing the porous boundary between human and environment. The installation uses a real-time voice analysis system to translate vocal data into one of eight environmental sound layers, ranging from subterranean rumbles to atmospheric tones. These layers are projected through a four-speaker spatial audio system, surrounding the body in a dynamic sonic landscape.
By enveloping the viewer in synchronized sound and light, the piece shifts the relationship between observer and environment. It is not about performing for nature, but being absorbed into it—creating a moment of embodied co-existence between the human and the more-than-human world.
3D Printed Ring Joint Structure
Small Demo
Immersive Spatial Sound System Design
Realtime Sound Process in TouchDesigner
Architectures of Enclosure
The physical structure of Bodily Nature is composed of a suspended circular ring wrapped in mirrored vines and translucent panels. Designed to evoke both ritualistic forms and botanical growth, the ring serves as both a visual focal point and a spatial frame for interaction. It was fabricated using laser-cut acrylic diffusers, hand-shaped vine elements, and a modular aluminum frame to ensure lightweight strength and balance during suspension. The structural design emphasizes openness and permeability, allowing participants to step inside and experience the installation from within—both visually and sonically.
Sonic Translation System
At the heart of the installation is a real-time audio processing system built in TouchDesigner. When a participant speaks into the microphone, their voice is analyzed on the fly using FFT-based signal analysis. Key attributes—such as pitch, amplitude, and duration—are mapped to one of eight pre-defined natural sound layers, including earth tremors, water currents, wind textures, and high-altitude aural fields. These layers are spatialized across four speakers, creating a fully immersive sound environment. This conversion is not symbolic—it is active, positioning the participant as a generative force within an ecological soundscape.
Exhibition Poster
On-site Installation
Exhibition
Bodily Nature was selected for exhibition in the central stairwell corner of the Pratt Institute Library—an architectural threshold space where movement, quiet, and pause intersect. It was an honor to have the work placed in such a highly visible yet acoustically sensitive site. The choice of location informed both the physical installation and conceptual refinement of the piece.
Given the transitional nature of the stairwell and the quiet environment of the library, the structure was mounted with a custom suspension system that ensured both safety and stability. The audio output was carefully calibrated to maintain a low ambient volume, allowing the work to exist as a subtle presence—audible to those engaging with it, but unobtrusive to passersby and nearby study spaces.
Conceptually, placing a voice-based installation within a library speaks to the tension between silence and expression. Bodily Nature becomes a quiet ecology—alive with sound, but always listening. It invites reflection without intrusion, resonance without disruption.