Sonus Horti

Sonus Horti, “The Sound of the Garden”, is an art project conceived by Rocco Papìa and created with Nikki Rifiutile within the ISRAW collective. It grows from research into the ideal of the Hortus Conclusus: a place to seek harmony between human beings and the universe.

The works take inspiration from Padua’s Botanical Garden, founded in 1545, and its architecture of squares and circles inscribed within each other. Three aerophone complexes use water to move air and produce sound. Designed to be played by several people at once, they make listening a shared experience and a search for collective harmony.

The installations were commissioned by the University of Padua for Risvegli Festival 2023, held in the Botanical Garden from 1 to 8 May. The project includes Cunabula Sonorum, Sound Water Lilies and The Sound of the Seasons.