Fibre Optic Symphonic Orchestra (FOSO) – Wentworth, NSW

Inspired by the arrangement of Hills Hoist clotheslines resembling an orchestra pit, each adorned with fibre optic lights representing different musical instruments, FOSO transforms this setup into a symphonic visual and auditory experience. The installation is synchronised with an original orchestral score composed by the renowned British composer Nainita Desai, elevating the viewer’s interaction with the art.

Comprising 80 columns of light made from cylindrical arrays of fibre optic cables, encircling an iconic rotary structure measuring 3.5 meters high and 4 meters in diameter, FOSO captivates visitors with its dynamic interplay of colour and sound. The lights are programmed to change hues in harmony with the musical composition, guiding visitors through a labyrinthine path of abstract light patterns that respond in real-time to the music.

The colour palette of FOSO is intricately designed to correspond with the notes of an octave, utilising a rainbow spectrum to visually interpret the music being played. This thoughtful integration of light and sound offers a multisensory journey, inviting exploration and immersion into the artistic fusion of Australian heritage, technological innovation, and creative expression.

For those seeking a profound cultural experience in regional NSW, FOSO promises an unforgettable encounter with contemporary art and sensory exploration. It represents an opportunity to engage deeply with the intersection of light, music, and landscape, making it a must-see for enthusiasts of art and cultural innovation alike.

FOSO is part of the broader LightState project, which aims to bring innovative art experiences to various regions. This collaborative effort extends beyond Wentworth, with a sister installation titled Trail of Lights on Lock Island in Mildura. Together, these installations serve as beacons of creativity and inspiration, enriching the cultural fabric of New South Wales, Victoria and beyond.

Find out more at Trail of Lights (Mildura.com)

Project Site

FOSO is set to be located 4 kilometres from the township of Wentworth, adjacent to the ancient Perry Sandhills and Thegoa Lagoon. Due to the unique nature of the sandhills, they have been used as a backdrop in many films and television shows. According to geologists, the Perry Sandhills originated after an ice age (40,000 years ago) and are formed by wind erosion over thousands of years.

Project Inspiration

Bruce Munro’s Inspiration

“When I was 21 years old, I read a book called ‘Gifts of Unknown Things’ by Lyall Watson, a radical thinker operating on the margins of accepted science. In it Watson described Tia, a young girl living in the Indonesian archipelago, who possessed the magical gift of seeing sounds in colour, which I later learned is called “synaesthesia”.

It is a neurological condition in which, when one sense is activated, another unrelated sense is also activated – for instance, when a person hears music and simultaneously “sees” the sound as swirls or patterns of colour.

I was captivated by the idea of a connection between sound and colour from that day forward and have worked with the notion of a human form represented as abstracted cylinders of light in a number of ways. I first used it in a private commission made to commemorate a couple’s sixtieth wedding anniversary in 2006; and in 2010, as a fundamental concept for the installation Water-Towers. The idea of creating an orchestra of lighted columns has been lying wait in my sketchbook since 2011.

The stunning location presents the opportunity to create another community of sound, differently than I had before: an abstract installation of an entire light-responsive Symphonic Orchestra. In this installation, eighty, three and a half meter high, four-meter diameter light installations, each being a “musician,” will form the physical plan of an orchestra.

Each musician is represented by the iconic Hill’s Hoist rotary washing line, an everyday Australian object that is also a beautiful structural support to my mind. Cylindrical arrays of fibre optic cables will encircle each Hills Hoist, making it a column of light.

A control system will scroll through a rainbow of colours synchronised with a symphonic soundtrack. As the fibre optic columns change hues, viewers will experience sound translated into colour.

This installation is the result of concepts and techniques developed over a number of years and evolved from many previous works”.