Helsinki project aims to record sounds of historical statues for new sensory experience

In Helsinki, a project is underway to record the sounds of the city’s most famous historical statues, allowing people to experience them without seeing or touching them. Many of these statues, placed on high pedestals, are often out of reach for visually impaired individuals. The recording involves playing a sound that matches each statue’s specific structural resonant frequency, making the sculptures vibrate.

The project aims to demonstrate that public art can be experienced in ways other than visually, according to visual artist JP Kaljonen. Recording is accomplished using contact microphones and small sensors attached to various points on the statue’s surface. Sound engineer Daniel Motola remarks on how exciting it is to discover the diverse sounds produced by the different statues.

On Monday, the team recorded the resonant sounds of the statue of Marshall Mannerheim and K.J. Ståhlberg. The sound from Ståhlberg’s statue produced high harmonies, while Mannerheim’s statue resonated with deep frequencies. These low sounds can even be felt physically, benefiting individuals with hearing impairments.

Originally, the recording project’s ambition was greater, aiming to include a bridge, but the complexities of its size led the team to focus on the statues instead. Motola finds the recorded sounds fascinating, with plans to present these unique resonances in an exhibition and make them available online for public listening.

Kaljonen notes that while recordings of room resonances have been done since the 1970s, this project focusing on statues is nearly unique. The team will continue recording the sounds of a total of eight monuments, with upcoming sessions featuring notable works such as Havis Amanda, the statue of Alexander II, and the Sibelius Monument.