Arts In Pittsburgh

Edwin van der Heide

In the spring of 2007, Wood Street Galleries in Pittsburgh’s Cultural District hosted three installations by Dutch artist Edwin van der Heide. The exhibit featured “Sound Modulated Light #1,” a participative environment in which visitors were invited to explore and interact with the light, sound and space. In this ARTSINPGH exclusive, the artist gives a brief description of the inner workings of the installation.

In 1989 Edwin van der Heide started performing with custom-built sensor-based instruments. This led him to create a form of music with a strong physical approach and an emphasis on sound itself. The formation of Sensorband in 1993/1994 was a continuation in this direction. While performing he developed more and more an interest in space/spaces. He realized that it would be possible to approach a space as an instrument and, even one step further, to approach the human senses and the perception of the audience as an instrument for which you could compose. Over the years the focus of his work has shifted to sound installations, interactive installations and environments. The performance aspect is still present in part of the work, but the emphasis has shifted to the content of the environment and less focus on the performer.