- Interaktive Licht- und Klanginstallation
- Oppenheim 2024
Play the Light
Vertical beams of light in the fog: break one and you create sound — across three modes, from synth tones to techno beats and experimental noise.
Play the Light is an interactive light and sound installation by Meike Schalk, shown in 2024 in the historic cellar labyrinth of Oppenheim, Germany. In the vaulted cellars, vertical beams of light come alive in the fog and create an atmosphere of their own. But this is not a passive light show — it is an invitation to play. Break a beam with your hand or your body and you create a soundscape. Every interruption produces a different tone, depending on the colour mode.
Three colour modes, three worlds of sound
The modes change not only the sound but also the arrangement of the lamps in the room.
Blue — Synthesiser
Every interrupted beam produces a synthesiser tone. The lamps stand in a row: the higher a lamp sits, the higher its note.
Red — Drum & techno
The beams turn into a drum and techno machine producing rhythmic beats. Here the lamps are arranged in a circle, so you move around them as you play.
Green — Noisemaker
Interrupting a beam creates experimental and atmospheric sound. The lamps are spread across the whole room, inviting people to experiment together.
Play the Light invites visitors to explore the connection between light and sound through play. The installation is at its best when several people join in and build a soundscape together.
