庭の声 (niwa no koe)

The two pieces presented as 庭の声 (niwa no koe) are contrasting responses to the same location, the garden at Ohara Sanso.

Hiroki Okano’s 閑坐對白雲 (kanza hakuun ni taisu / “sitting quietly, facing the white clouds”) takes its title from the Zen expression about simply sitting and observing, allowing things to appear, change and pass without seeking to grasp or alter them. Reflecting this spirit, Okano approaches the garden through attentive stillness, allowing its natural sounds to evoke traces of memory, presence and the impression of the place.

里山の電気風呂 (literally “satoyama electric bath”) an Ohara Sanso sound study, by Nick Luscombe and James Greer of MSCTY_Studio reinterprets the experience of the garden and Okano’s natural soundworld to create an electrified, hyperreal response to them. The piece draws on research undertaken by OIST Sonic Lab into how people respond to natural, human-made and synthetic sounds.

Sonic Minds is a Wonderfruit sound initiative created in collaboration with MSCTY_Studio’s Nick Luscombe and James Greer. It explores the intersection of sound, mindfulness, nature and well-being through research, sound camps, installations, performances, field recordings, listening sessions, workshops, meditations, lectures and discussions.

It evolved from earlier Wonderfruit and MSCTY_Studio collaborations, including Sonic Elements, and has become a broader, research-led programme exploring the future of sound, space, health and well-being.