Bonnes Vibrations

Hermes Histoires De Carres > Spring - Summer 2016

The unseen forces of nature inspired the designer Pierre Marie to create this enticing and complex composition. At the end of the 18th century, the German physicist Ernst Chladni - who invented a musical instrument called a "euphon" and wrote a book on acoustics - undertook a unique experiment. Hew took a copper disc, sprinkled it with fine sand and drew a bow arm along its rim. The resulting vibrations transformed the plate into a musical instrument and the sand moved into geometric patterns that were almost like works of art. These were named "Chaldni figures". Pierre Marie gives us his interpretation of this acoustic geometry.