The circle is so much a part of Chengdu, China, a city known for its fusion of modernity and traditional values. Found everywhere from the Golden Sun Bird, to Anshun Bridge, to the city’s circular layout, Wade and Leta pull on these themes found throughout the city to create their interactive Stop, Listen, Look exhibition. At 23 feet tall, some elements are powered by wind and some by motor. These simple yet delightful machines by the Brooklyn-based design duo move in fantastic ways through the air, spinning and bouncing along their predetermined tracks. As much as the exhibition is meant to work with natural elements, the true beauty is when people get involved and work together, creating a symphony of sight and sound.
Bold stripes, eye-popping hues of magenta and orange, and whimsical green and blue balls dot the plaza, kinetic sculptures twisting happily through space. This sense of energy mirrors the busy Chengdu streets, just below the installation – seemingly far away from the expansive and relatively calm IFS Chengdu rooftop.
Nestled in the heart of the city, the rooftop is home to a number of firsts for Wade and Leta, including a collaboration with renowned sound designer Eric Lau, who created a soundtrack based on the Chengdu’s energy, taken from tones heard about the city during everyday life. The installation also featured beautiful sounds by local artist Huang Jin, featuring 8 tones of the city interspersed throughout the installation.
All visitors are welcome to alter the auditory ambiance, yet another element of play, with an embedded MIDI controller built into the structure. Movement and reflection combine in a whirlwind of sight and sound, tactile feedback creating a wonderfully satisfying experience.
As the pair say, Wade and Leta make “music for the eyes.” Intentionally combining purposeful eclecticism and performative design, their work is in the exploration, within the process of play. They believe work and life are intimately intertwined, living and working with each other every single day. Blurring the lines between the disciplines, they remind us with Stop, Listen, Look that only together can we truly bring out the best within us.
Wade and Leta
To learn more about Stop, Listen, Look by Wade and Leta, please visit wadeandleta.com.
Photography courtesy of Wade and Leta.
