On July 27th, 2025, a sound-consuming serpent ventured to the Toronto Sculpture Garden.  Hungry, it ate various sounds from its surrounding.  Its body now visibly holds sounds from a streetcar, the St. James Church bells, ringing chimes, and a bird as it digests its meal.

‘The Sound Eater’ is a data visualization of the soundscape surrounding the TSG. The serpent's spine mirrors audio waves from specific events, with the height of each segment corresponding to the amplitude of recorded sounds. Audio recordings from the garden were analyzed and applied to a parametric design for the sculpture’s shape.

The data visualization is comprised of the urban, natural and cultural sounds that make up the chaotic, vibrant and contradictory soundscape of downtown Toronto.

Visitors are invited to walk around the serpent, opening their attention to the audible world around them and feel a connection to the moment and space they are inhabiting.

Sound Legend:

Streetcar (27/07/2025 8:05am) – Section 1 (Head)

St. James Church Bells (27/07/2025 7:59am) – Section 2

Melodic Bells (27/07/2025 7:58am) – Section 3

Bird (27/07/2025 7:42am) – Section 4 (Tail)