The Sonic Rhythms Drawing Machine is an experimental, participatory art installation that transforms sound into shared visual expression. As visitors engage with the piece, they listen to a sequence of subterranean sounds; from soil, to permafrost, to melting snow, to a riverbed, and to the ocean floor and respond in real time with mark-making on a continuous drawing surface. Each contribution becomes part of an unfolding collective exquisite corpse, an interperative tapestry of line, rhythm, and gesture representlng the sonic world beneath our feet.

The machine functions as both a creative tool and a social instrument. It invites participants to slow down, listen deeply, and collaborate intuitively. Over time, the drawings accumulate into a living archive, a visual log keyed to the rapidly changing sounds of soils, climate, and place.

Images: Sonic Rhythms Drawing Machine and Live Listening Station iteration at Serralves Museum 2026.

Image Below: Prototype of Sonic Rhythms Drawing Machine and Live Listening Station launched in Belin, Germany, 2024 TNOC festival

Concept and artistic direction by Nikki Lindt.

For the Soil Art Tales installation at Serralves, Lindt developed the work in collaboration with Erik Blits (design), Ossip Blits (CNC fabrication), and Mark Helder (design and technical support).

For the Berlin iteration, Lindt developed the work in collaboration with Mark Helder (technical support).