// Point, Surface, Twist

Installation, Lecture Performance and Speculative Research Practice with Shuoxin Tan

An ongoing exploration, rooted in the convergence between theoretical speculation and practical experimentation within sound synthesis. A musical and topological (de-)composition of the torus and other structures.

Drawing inspiration from the insights of Karlheinz Stockhausen into auditory perception—particularly the transformative effects produced by manipulating point-like signals—the investigation considers the properties of specific topological structures.

In particular, attention is directed toward the topological composition of the torus and its de-compositional transformation into the Möbius strip. Through experimentation using SuperCollider, the study seeks to examine whether the intrinsic qualities of these structures can be articulated or suggested through sound synthesis, while also considering the extrinsic factors that influence their sonic manifestation.

The central question concerns whether the contradictions and tensions inherent in topological properties can be perceived through acoustics and spatialization. If such perceptual correspondences exist, they may offer a means of bridging internal structural characteristics and external sonic expression within explorative sound synthesis.

The full documentation of the first research phase can be found here .

26.09.24 @Speculative Sound Synthesis Symposium
01.04.25 - 31.05.25 @Research Residency at IEM Graz
19.01.26 Performance at IEM Graz (Open Cube)
15.07.26 Performance at St. Albertus Magnus

Supported by a residency at IEM Graz and a grant for artistic research from Kunststiftung NRW.