Talking Lights consists of two phone booths placed at some distance from each other in a square. The brightly lit phone booths invite people to step inside and pick up the receiver. When both phones are in use and a conversation takes place, the lighting in the glass walls of the booths changes. The tone of the voices is translated into a specific light program, making it seem possible to interpret the content of the conversation and whether it is calm or tumultuous based on the colors displayed.
Neither the speaker nor the observer is entirely clear on how the conversion of sound to light occurs, making the process of guessing, predicting, and experimenting an important and entertaining aspect of the artwork.
About the artist
Tom Groll’s work revolves around processes. Regardless of the material he uses, it never leads to a definitive image. The representation remains in motion, influenced by chemical reactions, computer programs, or interventions from the audience. Each stage requires a new interpretation. As we continuously hold and readjust these interpretations in the light, the artist points out the space that exists between the sign and the meaning.
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