Virtual Strings

2007 - ZKM, KARLSRUHE, GERMANY ‘Virtual Violin’ Interactive 3D virtual violin

Interactive 3D virtual instrument, polarised glasses, electronic bow, screen, projectors, loudspeakers, computers. ZKM, multimedia art centre, Karlsruhe. Commissioned by the Strasbourg Photonics Systems Laboratory. Sound design: Bruno de Chénérilles.

Wearing polarised glasses, the viewer perceives a virtual violin consisting of seven circular copper strings. These strings float in space and move towards the viewer one after the other in a random motion. When the real bow is slid across the virtual string, it resonates with a colourful variation. Then the activated string moves away into the sky to make way for a new string, with new harmonics.