Toad Touch
2021
Toad Touch is a sound-sculpture installation that is anchored by two, human-sized bronze toads – each of which can hold a bowl of water on its back. This work was inspired by a viral video of a toad, sitting in water making its mating call. In the video, water ripples in concentric rings radiating from the toad’s body, and at times the harmonics seem to split the ripples, doubling the number of rings. I wanted to explore the haptic qualities of sound and seek out ways in which humans could parallel this moment of a toad vibrating in sympathy with its surroundings. The bronze toads are meant to have an ancient, mythic quality, and to make them a touchstone I gave certain areas a high polish. These touch points reference public sculpture that develop a shine from the repeated touch of passersby who hope to take some luck from the statue. Each toad can hold a bronze bowl in its back that is based on Han dynasty spouting bowls. When the handles are rubbed, vibrations produce sound and movement in the water emanating from the four nodal points of the bowl.
Toad Touch Performance
2021
In this video, musicians Steph Yates and Lisa Conway perform with the bronze toad sculptures, demonstrating their sonic possibilities in a pond-side setting. There is a sense that the performers are part of the cycle of toad reproduction, scrying into existence or sonically assisting the creation of a new generation of toads.