On a belvedere, in a park or a square, along a stream, a beach or an avenue,
the public comes accross a large installation of Kaleidophones. Each piece
of this collection, both a giant sculpture and a device of acoustic exploration, is an original work designed together by the composer Michel Risse and a stagedesigning artist, in accordance with specific acoustic requirements.an original work designed together by the composer Michel Risse and a stagedesigning artist, in accordance with specific acoustic requirements. 

Beyond the visual attraction and curiosity aroused by these astonishing “big ears”, anyone yielding to the temptation of wearing the headphones will discover aworld full of surprises; while scanning a hitherto banal world of sounds, eachmovement of the cornets reveals a thousand new details, just like an acoustickaleidoscope: a kaleidophone.

Freely inspired by the fantastic acoustic locators designed between the two World Wars to track the enemy aircrafts concealed by clouds or darkness, these soundsculptures significantly increase our stereophonic perception and make it moreselective. The soundscape can thus be scanned, cut up, framed by the listener,who will become aware of unexpected, poetical, inexplicable details.

Set up in the public space, the Kaleidophones call to mind scientific observation instruments, sound binoculars for close-up listening, bizarre flowers in the shapeof shells, old phonograph receivers, cornucopias, satellite dishes, all of whichthe visitor can freely direct by hand. Pointed at the soundscape, they invite to adifferent listening of the city, of nature, and of the whole world in-between.

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