An informative and immersive videomapping experience exploring the theory of the harmony of the spheres, combining audio-reactive projections on geometric structures with soundscapes crafted from cosmic waves captured by the ALMA observatory. Nominated for the 2025 Premios Huella in the Digital Entertainment category.
Research and Concept
The project originated from in-depth research into the ALMA space observatory, which translated electromagnetic waves emitted by celestial bodies into sound frequencies. Using this audio material as a foundation, a sound narrative was composed to bridge contemporary science with ancient philosophy. The goal was to build an immersive experience fusing science and art while informing visitors about the subject.
Excerpt - Pitch Script: The Harmony of the Spheres
"Good afternoon. Today we want to invite you on a journey that began over two thousand years ago, when human beings looked up at the sky and tried to make sense of the order of the stars... In antiquity, philosophers imagined that celestial bodies did not float in empty space, but were embedded within massive spheres of transparent crystal revolving around the Earth. This model was called the theory of the spheres. Each sphere corresponded to a planet, the Sun, the Moon, or the fixed stars.
Fascinatingly, the Pythagoreans took this further... They believed the motion of the spheres was not silent: it produced sound. Each sphere generated a note based on its speed and distance, creating a perfect cosmic melody: the harmony of the spheres. The heavens as an orchestra, performing a symphony perceived only by the soul.
Although modern astronomy with Copernicus, Galileo, and Kepler dismantled the physical concept of crystalline spheres, the metaphor lived on. Today, these ideas serve as a bridge between science and art, calculation and inspiration: if the theory of the spheres is the rational skeleton, the harmony of the spheres is the aesthetic soul. Deep down, we are still searching for that universal harmony Pythagoras dreamed of."
Artistic Proposal and Technical Setup
To bring this narrative into an immersive plane, a spatial art concept was designed utilizing videomapping mapped onto custom-built white box structures. The visual assets were created to simulate cosmic spaces and celestial bodies that react in real time to the sound spectrum. Technically, the projection was operated using two 5000-lumen projectors calibrated in Resolume Arena. The voiceover was recorded in a radio booth and processed alongside the soundscapes using Cakewalk and Adobe Audition.
