Art by 369
Design, Engineering & Fabrication
Coming soon to...
ECHOES
OF
THE
HEART
A Multisensory Art Experience
Merging Trauma Recovery,
SolarPunk, and Generative Design
Trauma Recovery through
Radical Emotional Expression
What is the most beautiful, hurtful, or moving thing anyone has ever
said to you? Can you still remember the way you felt when you heard
it? What’s something you’ve always wanted to say to someone, but
never could? What words has your heart carried for a lifetime? "Echoes of the Heart" explores these questions by collecting and playing back thousands of sentimental audio recordings from participants.
Upon approach, you can hear faint whispers coming from somewhere in the structure. As you put your ear close to the cage, you hear the heartfelt, passionate voices of those that have shared their stories with the project. At each opening, you hear a different voice, with a different emotion—collectively expressing the full range of human emotion. Near the piece, you see a phone booth connected to the structure: offering you a safe, private place to leave a heartfelt message of your own.
Art, Science, and the
Spectrum of Human Experience
"Echoes of the Heart" contains a “neural network” of nearly 100 acoustic LED fibers. These draw a visual comparison to neural pathways in the heart, each creating a unique visual effect matched to the mood, tone, and emotional imprint of the associated recording.
​
The human heart is made up of a collection of cells very similar to the brain, and contains its own “neural network,” that functions autonomously; this highly sophisticated “heart brain” actually stores its own memories, independently of the cerebellum. In cases of trauma, these memories can be stored in BOTH places, causing continued symptoms that can last for years; even after receiving cognitive therapy. In extreme cases, this can result in a condition known as Takotsubo-cardiomyopathy, or “broken heart syndrome”--which can actually be fatal. Extensive research has found that the heart sends more signals to the brain than vice versa… as it turns out, the brain listens to the heart far more than the other way around.
