Vibe Cube

Vibe³ (Vibe Cube) is a sound installation incorporating collected, donated, and archived sounds that express the “spirit of place”. Part of the Genius Loci/OpenSpace Programme, it was commissioned by Essex County Council.

Between January and September 2009, residents of Colchester, Harlow and Basildon were invited to submit both recordings and ideas for recordings which reflect the history, character, and the unique feel of their area – anything from wildlife to nightlife. As well as the public submissions, artists Damien Robinson and Stuart Bowditch collected foundsounds and researched the sound archives at Essex Sound and Video Archive. The recordings were collected and redeveloped into an ever-changing sound mix, which was played back via the Vibe³ itself. The Cube was exhibited at locations in the towns and extracts from the work have been uploaded to the Vibe³ website. The Vibe³ itself is not just a sound experience; using an innovative form of technology, it becomes a resonating instrument where sounds can be experienced by touch as well as heard.

At the close of the original project (09-10) we donated all the collected recordings to the Essex Sound Archive, to help to form a more detailed historical picture of our county, capturing it's essence during the project period and showing how it is changing.

Exhibitions

2009
14 - 18th May > Basildon Centre (Foyer area) St. Martin's Square, Basildon
25th - 28th June > Harlow Library (exhibition area), The High, Harlow
23 - 27th July > Colchester Library (Les Livres Gallery), Trinity Square, Colchester
20th - 24th August > Essex Record Office (home of Essex Sound Archive) Wharf Rd, Chelmsford
11th - 13th September > Vibe³ was shown alongside our derivative version Vibe³ C, commissioned by Cuckoo Farm Studios for Outside 09

2010
20th March - ambient.tv, London
28 - 30th May - Accidental Festival, Battersea Arts Centre

2011
15th June > National Sensory Conference, Stansted

2013
20 - 28th September > Chelmsford Sensory Festival, Anglia Ruskin University

2017
Vibe Cube CD on Essex Sound Archive's dedicated soundcloud page. The Vibe³ CD was acquired by the British Library in 2017 as part of their collection.