Another World
Another World is a large horn sculpture that acts as a listening device, a communication tool and a sonic instrument. The project began during the regeneration of a public park in Renli Village, Ziyang, China. While the park was being transformed, I started thinking about the relationship between human activity and the non-human life that already existed there. Birds, insects, wind and other living organisms all contribute to the soundscape of the park, yet we rarely stop to listen to them. Rather than making a work about nature, I wanted to create a way for people to reconnect with it through listening.
The title Another World refers to the sonic world that surrounds us every day but usually goes unnoticed. Listening through the horn reveals distant and subtle sounds that would otherwise disappear into the background. Conversations, birds, insects, wind and echoes suddenly become present, making a familiar place feel completely different. The horn acts as a portal—not to a fictional world, but to one that has always existed alongside our own. At the same time, its unusual form makes it appear as if it could have arrived from somewhere else, reinforcing this idea visually.
The work has many layers, but it does not require visitors to understand its conceptual background. Some people become fascinated by listening to distant sounds, while others simply enjoy shouting into the horn, hearing their voices transformed, communicating across the park or climbing inside the sculpture. There is no single correct way to experience it. Curiosity and play are just as important as reflection. One of the most rewarding aspects of the project is seeing how naturally people engage with it. Whenever I visit the sculpture, it is almost always being used. Children and adults instinctively begin exploring it, discovering their own ways of interacting with it.
During the opening of the project, I performed with two other musicians in front of the horn, using it as a natural amplifier. This performance revealed another dimension of the work. The sculpture became an active sonic object that shaped the music through its unique acoustics. Instead of functioning as a passive sculpture, it became an instrument in itself. Familiar voices and instruments were transformed into something strange and immersive, strengthening the feeling that the horn had become a portal to another world.
Since its installation I have also used the horn extensively for field recording. It has become a research tool that allows me to explore the environment by listening rather than looking. Recording through the horn reveals quiet and distant sounds that would otherwise remain unnoticed, producing recordings with a distinctive acoustic character. I see the sculpture not only as an artwork but as an open tool. I am interested in how other artists, musicians and sound recordists might use it in ways I have not imagined. The work can continue to evolve through the people who interact with it.
The sculpture measures 10 metres in length, reaches 3 metres at its highest point and weighs approximately 500 kilograms. It is constructed from fibreglass with a steel supporting structure. Its blue colour was inspired by a small blue building standing in the neighbouring strawberry fields.
Another World was commissioned by the DNBeta community in Renli Village, Ziyang, China.
