Call Description

Sculpture Tucson invites artists to submit work for Invisible Force – Sound in Sculpture, a juried exhibition exploring the sculptural potential of sound.

The exhibition will be on view November 29, 2026 – June 6, 2027 in Tucson, Arizona.

Selected artists will receive a $2,500 stipend.

Invisible Force – Sound in Sculpture

Sound sculpture bridges object, environment, and performance; it may vibrate, react to wind or touch, use digital systems, or shape acoustic spaces. Works range from participatory pieces to evolving sound environments.

Artists have explored sound’s sculptural potential since the Futurists, using both traditional and digital techniques. New technologies now offer expanded ways to create spatial and material sonic experiences.

This exhibition invites artists to explore questions such as:

• How can sound define or transform a sculptural form?
• How does sound alter our perception of space, movement, and material?
• What new sculptural experiences emerge when sound becomes the medium?

Selected works may be kinetic, acoustic, mechanical, electronic, digital, or interactive, but all should explore sound as an essential element of the sculptural experience.

Sound Sculpture: Background and Context

Sound sculpture is an interdisciplinary, time-based art form in which three-dimensional objects produce sound or, conversely, sound is used to shape a sculptural experience. These works may be kinetic (moving), interactive, or site-specific, often using materials such as metal rods, gongs, or found objects to generate immersive ambient tones and sonic environments.

Some key aspects of sound sculpture include:

• Definition: An inter-media, time-based art form that combines visual form with sound.
• Types: Works may be kinetic (wind-activated), interactive, or installation-based.
• Key Artists: Harry Bertoia (Sonambient), Michael Brewster (Acoustic Sculpture), the Baschet Brothers, and Bill Fontana.
• Materials: Metal rods (brass, copper, steel), gongs, and found materials such as kitchen utensils, boxes, and other everyday objects.
• Experience: Sound sculptures often create a specific sonic environment within a space—sometimes described as a “sculpture of sound”—that unfolds continuously without a fixed beginning or end.

Examples and Techniques

• Sonambient: Harry Bertoia’s sounding sculptures range from small tabletop works to large installations up to 20 feet tall. Composed of clustered metal rods, they produce tonal, dreamlike sounds when activated by touch or movement.

• Acoustic Sculpture: Michael Brewster’s work focuses on shaping space through sound, creating subtle sonic environments that heighten the viewer’s awareness of place and perception.

• Interactive / Digital: Contemporary works such as Sound Sculpture (2017) by Masary Studios incorporate location-aware cubes that allow audiences to create collaborative sound and light performances.

• DIY / Educational Approaches: Sound sculpture can also be explored through simple materials; for example, children can construct resonant forms using recycled objects such as buckets, foil, or containers.

• Site-Specific Work: Artists such as Bill Fontana often create installations that capture and transmit ambient sounds from urban or environmental locations, transforming the acoustic experience of a site.

 Historical Background

Sound art has roots in the early twentieth century. Futurist artist Luigi Russolo built experimental noise machines between 1913 and 1930 to replicate the sounds of modern industry and warfare. Dada and Surrealist artists also experimented with chance and sound as artistic media.

One example is Marcel Duchamp’s Erratum Musical, a composition in which three voices sing notes drawn randomly from a hat. This seemingly arbitrary act influenced later experimental composers, including John Cage, whose 1952 work 4'33" consists of four minutes and thirty-three seconds of intentional silence—encouraging audiences to listen to the ambient sounds of their environment. (Four minutes and thirty-three seconds equals 273 seconds, a number often noted for its coincidence with −273°C, the temperature of absolute zero.)

About Sculpture Tucson

Sculpture Tucson is a nonprofit arts organization dedicated to advancing the appreciation and creation of sculpture in Southern Arizona. Through exhibitions, public programs, and its annual Sculpture Tucson Festival Show & Sale, the organization connects artists, collectors, and the public while promoting engagement with three-dimensional art. Sculpture Tucson’s mission is to support artists, present inspiring sculptural work, and create opportunities for the community to experience art in meaningful and accessible ways.

Application Requirements

Submissions must be completed through CaFÉ.

Applicants must include:

1. Up to 5 images, video, and/or audio files of proposed or past work
2. Artist Statement (maximum 3000 characters)
3. Project Description explaining the concept and sound component
4. Materials, dimensions, and technical specifications
5. Installation requirements

Video or audio documentation is strongly encouraged for works involving sound.

Eligibility Criteria

• Open to emerging and established artists
• Must be 18 years or older
• Artists must be able to install and maintain work for the duration of the exhibition