The Photophon Principle (2013)

The Photophon Principle is based on the photoacoustic principle that was discovered at the end of the 19th century by Alexander Graham Bell. According to this principle, a strong light source can be converted into an acoustic wave due to absorption and thermal excitation. Bell’s research shows that any material comes with a sonority that will be revealed by hitting it with a strong beam of light. In the exhibition a prototype of the original work will be shown to illustrate this principle. The prototype consists of a photophonic object playing tones created by strong light beams through a rotating disc. With Photophon, Jacobs intends to provide a certain kind of musicality: ‘but in the form of an installation, not of a playable instrument’, he explains.

Aernoudt Jacobs is a Belgian sound artist and composer. Using psychoacoustic theories, he explores how perception can be influenced and how sound can be expressed physically and emotionally.