Heliophone – Aernoudt Jacobs @ MIM

Heliophone is an installation that turns sunlight into sound. Its basic principle is quite simple: energy from the sun is transformed into sound without electronic amplification. In the design, however, Jacobs combines an impressive array of traditional and cutting-edge technologies. The installation follows the trajectory of the sun, catching the sunlight and focusing it, via a parabolic lens, onto one point. There, a rotating disk chops the light up into small fragments. A photo-acoustic cell further transforms the light fragments into sound, made audible by a large horn. With Heliophone, Aernoudt Jacobs has created a sound piece for the sun, the tonality of the installation constantly changing with the intensity of the light.

The public will be able to see and hear the Heliophone installation, in action under the effects of the sun’s rays , on the terrace of the Musical Instruments Museum (10th floor). Free access during the museum’s opening hours.
Since 2015, continuing his research into light, Aernoudt Jacobs has been creating laser drawings, which allow him to draw lines with great precision. A selection of these recent drawings (working sketches, reflections, free compositions) is on display at CENTRALE and rounds off the artist’s contribution to the exhibition Où sont les sons ? Where Are Sounds?

© Aernoudt JACOBS, Heliophone