“sound” series

The “sound” series is a project that visualizes soundscapes—landscapes composed of various sounds—by drawing lines by hand, each based on a field-recorded sound, and then re-rendering them using a plotter.

The Joy of Listening to Places and Environments

We are surrounded by countless sounds, yet few people are consciously aware of them in daily life. The human auditory system excels at filtering—allowing us to focus solely on a conversation in a noisy crowd while simultaneously ignoring many other sounds. However, if we do not make an active effort to listen, we may not truly hear the world around us.

By consciously tuning in to the surrounding sounds, we discover that our environment is overflowing with richness. Sounds are not uniform across different places; each location has its own unique sonic identity, shaped by its layered history. Even within the same place, the weather, the season, and countless other factors intertwine to create ephemeral sounds that can only be heard in that exact moment.

Sound as a Landscape Heard Through the Ears

In the “sound” series, I interpret these soundscapes—the collective presence of sounds—as compositions of lines.

Each line is drawn by hand while listening to the field-recorded sounds—one might represent a human voice, another the sound of water. Inevitably, places with abundant sound result in denser compositions, while quieter environments produce sparser arrangements. Some sounds disrupt the flow, while others harmonize or diverge, forming interactions that ultimately shape a singular visual landscape.

Voices, rustling winds, flowing water, the hum of engines—countless sounds weave together in our surroundings. These sounds hold the essence of a place, and yet, they are fleeting, existing only in the moment. Sound is, in essence, a landscape perceived through the ears.

For me, capturing these transient sonic landscapes in the “sound” series is both an act of sketching and a form of photography. I also intend to include the actual recorded sounds alongside each piece, hoping to inspire others to rediscover the joy of listening.

Letting the Program Listen and Finish the Work Through Dialogue

Although this series is highly analog and deeply rooted in physical interaction—listening with the ears and drawing by hand—it reaches completion through a final step: re-rendering with a plotter.

Many of my works revolve around the interplay between humans and programs, blending digital and analog elements. In an era where nothing exists in purely analog form, I seek to capture the tactile reality of this coexistence. That is why, in this project, I engage in a dialogue with the program as I finalize each piece.

I first listen to the field-recorded sounds and translate them into drawings by hand. When re-rendering the piece with the plotter, I let the program “listen” to the same sounds—allowing it to absorb their impressions, nuances, and emotions. Based on this, the program adjusts the pen’s movement, speed, and pressure to reflect the sonic character.

As I observe the drawing process in real time, I communicate back through the interface—expressing my own interpretation of the lines, my emotions, and how I wish to shape them. Through this ongoing dialogue between myself and the program, the final piece takes form.

Reality and illusion, digital and analog, human and program—the boundaries between them grow increasingly blurred. In this moment, when these divisions are in flux, I aim to create works that exist within the haze of these shifting borders.