Published
10-4-2023
Type of Work
Creative Work - Visual artwork
Abstract
World Tree Melody is an interactive sculptural and sonic installation by Guy Cooper, exhibited at the World Science Festival Brisbane (Queensland Museum) in 2023. This work explores the fusion of creative technologies and public art through motion-activated sound, custom Arduino programming, multi-channel audio sampling, and evolving music composition. Visitors become active participants in the work, triggering a generative soundscape through physical interaction with the sculpture.
Constructed from copper pipe, hand-crafted leaves, and an organic tree core, the piece is powered by two Arduino microcontrollers, four motion sensors, and seven-channel 24-bit/48kHz audio samplers. Over 400 lines of custom code manage a library of more than eight hours of original sound, composed by Cooper and incorporating field recordings from the Gold Coast, synthetic textures, and voice samples recorded with students at Calliope State School. The resulting sonic landscape responds in real time to the movement and presence of the audience, turning each interaction into a unique musical event.
Set in a speculative future where Earth's ecosystems have collapsed, World Tree Melody imagines a surviving tree dependent on human interaction and technology for its ongoing function—a metaphorical life-support system driven by symbiosis between people, nature, and machines. The work invites reflection on climate collapse, ecological stewardship, and the emotional and technological relationships we form with the living world.
The sculpture also produced an 8-track companion album, available on Spotify, extending its life beyond the installation space and reinforcing the evolving relationship between audience and sound. This project continues Cooper's work as an award-winning professional sculptor and creative technologist, and draws from his academic foundation in a Master of Creative Industries. It stands as a synthesis of artistic practice, environmental storytelling, and interactive design—bridging music, sculpture, and emerging technology.
Notes
Private Commission and Self-Funded
Citation
Cooper, G. (2023). World Tree Melody [Copper/Wood/Electronics]. Queensland Museum, Brisbane.
Link to Published Work
https://guycooper.com.au/worldtreemelody
Income (grants or other funding)
Other
Private Commission and Self-Funded