New tunnel between 33rd St and 40th St?

Well sort of….As part of the NYC Summer Streets 2013, artist Rafael Lozano-Hemmer will install Voice Tunnel, which includes 360 spotlights controlled by a special intercom located at the center of the tunnel that passses under Park Avenue between 33rd and 40th Streets.  The intercom will record public  participants voices and influence the intensity of the light – louder speech will increase the brightness of the lights.  The intent is to create ‘Morse-code like’ flashes based on the sound pattern and volume of speech.  The individual voices will also be audible on 180 loudspeakers located along the length of the tunnel.  It will be open on Saturdays between 7 am and 1 pm Aug 3rd, 10th and 17th.

The content of the piece will change constantly as participants come and go.  We are curious to hear how the reverberation within the tunnel and potential added acoustical absorption of people in the tunnel will influence the piece. That, and of course it is always neat to go places on foot where you can usually only drive…maybe we will see you there.

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