ZIMOUN

Zimoun is a sculptor based in Switzerland that has an art practise that predominantly uses DC motors  to produce kinetic sculptures that mainly focuses on the acoustics. Zimoun is best known for his installative, generally site-specific, immersive works.

Similar to how I approach my practise, he too employs mechanical principles of rotation and oscillation (which is dictated by the practical qualities of DC motors) to put assembled materials into motion. Through the motions he creates, he is able to produce sounds - even though he is interested in the visual complexities that resulted from his installations, he is far  more interested in the sound and acoustic they are able to produce.

He uses simple everyday life industrial materials such as cardboard, DC motors, cables, welding wire, wooden spars or ventilators. Almost all his works, he comes up with small mechanisms and apparatuses which despite their primitive and simplistic quality, bring about a tonal and ocular complexities once put into motion - especially when a collection of such apparatuses are consolidated and orchestrated together as an installation. He creates “three-dimensional sonic spaces the visitor can actively explore.”

Whilst his main focus for his kinetic sculptures is the sound they produce, I can still resonate with his approach to making. Not only do I use DC motors, I also use simple industrial materials that are assembled together to form structures. In addition to that, I also develop primitive and simplistic mechanisms and apparatuses to be able to produce kinetic components. Similarly, the goal for my sculpture is also to create complexities - mine just so happened to be more interested in the visual aspect, not the sound and/or acoustics.

Sources:
https://www.zimoun.net/https://www.thisiscolossal.com/2020/11/zimoun-sound-installations/