Vocode
A preserving ode to languages that are on the verge of extinction
Name
Vocode
Year
2020
When a language is lost, the connection that people have with a specific place and its community weakens. For Not in so many words in Kröller-Müller, Fillip Studios selected 86 languages from the UNESCO atlas of the world’s languages in danger, including Éven, Chantal, Trumai, Waima’s and Savosavo.
You can order one of the unique Vocode drawings now, click here.
The Canorgraphy technique used for this installation was developed by Meerman in 2014 and converts sound into a graphic image. In Vocode, speaking the language not only makes the air vibrate, but also a special pen that dances over lines of the frequenties. This makes a sound not only audible, but also visible.
Every day a unique drawing is created, whereby a language that initially could only be under-stood by the indigenous community is translated into an image that can be understood and experienced by all.
Photography by Michele Giebing