There’s something strangely social about Zimoun's hypnotizing installation, referred to by its list of materials: 250 prepared ac-motors, 325 kg roof laths, 1.8 km rope. Currently on view at Knockdown Center NYC, the laths wiggle and bounce on a pre-programmed sequence, imitating an ambiance of a group gathering, with complementary gesticulations and conversations held at a not quite intelligible but still audible level.

Zimoun : 250 prepared ac-motors, 325 kg roof laths, 1.8 km rope, 2015 from ZIMOUN on Vimeo.

The installation is one of the Swiss artist’s three concurrent exhibitions in New York, collectively referred to as [KE]3 , each with their own structured system put into motion. This “sonic architecture”, as described by Zimoun, “signifies a space of entrance, but also a sound composition that functions more like an organism, something that is not changing into something else over time, but rather is full of variations in its details, and potent in its sonic possibilities. It’s not about a beginning or end; it could even be endless. It’s not narrative. It’s not going somewhere, and not coming from anywhere – even if it is continuously changing in its microstructures. It is more about creating a situation and focusing on the vibrations happening at the current moment. It’s about creating a simple system, which then gains dynamism, becoming richer in its behavior. So in that sense, time is informing these ‘sonic architectures’ in a very different way than that of conventional musical composition.”

The Bigger than a Breadbox, Smaller than a Building competition also offers the chance for an architect, or anyone, to develop a theme within multiple installation pieces. Applicants will take a previously built work and evolve a common theme into another pavilion proposal – the winning design will be installed at the Boston Society of Architects’ BSA Space Gallery.

Submissions to the Bigger Than A Breadbox competition are open until 12a PST (midnight) on February 15, 2015.