Cutting-edge public arts entity Creative Time premieres two unique sound sculptures this May that are sure to prick up ears—where visitors can immerse themselves in stimulating sounds. In the plaza of the Ritz Carlton Battery Park City through January 2005, Shirazeh Houshiary and Pip Horne’s “Breath” piece is a tall double helix column constructed out of white enameled brick that emits vocal recordings of four prayers—each from a major religion. Along the waterfront in the nearby World Financial Center plaza until August 20 is Sam Auinger and Bruce Odland’s (a k a O+A) work “Blue Moon (pictured),” which uses three U-shaped tuning tubes suspended over the Hudson that collect sounds that change with the level of the tide. Sounds from nature—water, birds, breezes—mix with urban noises and are filtered into chords that are transmitted to five cubes positioned throughout the plaza where listeners can observe the harmonic creations. —Mark Mavrigian (Photo courtesy of O+A)
