Art Sculpture Sonic Design

Sound Geometry

A journey into the Geometry of Sound by Jacopo Gonzato, conceived for the rising stars of the 2023 Venice Film Festival.

Experiences February 2025

February 2025

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Thanks to Jacopo Gonzato’s sonic sculptures, the vintage boat “Il Nuovo Trionfo”, moored at Punta della Dogana, is transformed into a “sonic compass,” capable of reshaping not only our perception of sound waves but also the very way in which they manifest—as an aesthetic miracle.

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“What if we could finally touch and observe sound? What would a cube sound like? A pyramid? The golden ratio?”

Set within the enchanting atmosphere of the Next Generation Awards 2023—the annual prize by MANINTOWNmagazine celebrating emerging talent in cinema—on Monday, September 4th, I curated an immersive journey into the Geometry of Sound for over a hundred guests, including actors, journalists, and prominent figures from the entertainment world, during the most anticipated red carpet days of the Venice Film Festival. An unforgettable experience hosted in one of the city’s most scenic locations: Punta della Dogana, at the mouth of the Grand Canal, in the vibrant heart of the San Marco Basin. The historic vessel chosen for the fourth edition of my traveling art project “Artista a Bordo” was “Il Nuovo Trionfo”, the last remaining “trabaccolo” still sailing the Italian Adriatic coast. A true gem of Venetian maritime heritage, this nearly century-old boat continues to captivate the collective imagination of Venetians and travelers from around the globe.

This year, Artista a Bordo was made even more special thanks to a collaboration with the Rossana Orlandi Gallery, which gave me the opportunity to work with sonic designer Jacopo Gonzato and create an extraordinary experience: transforming the historic boat into a “sonic compass,” altering the way we perceive sound and its very emergence as an aesthetic phenomenon.

On board, sound is experienced as never before—both seen and heard. Vibrations reveal their shape for the first time, inviting visitors to explore the deep connection between body and sound, and vice versa. This encounter becomes a source of well-being, prompting us to ask: to what extent are we part of sound-thinking? And what influence does it exert on us?

“Anyone stepping aboard cannot help but form a personal bond with the artwork. They listen, observe, and share in a sensitivity that only distance from the mainland can allow. The artist takes on the role of a guide, steering the voyage of our minds and leading us into uncharted waters.”

Jacopo Gonzato is a designer determined to redefine the rules of sound diffusion. Beginning with the forms of Platonic solids, he expands his research into harmonic geometries—a profoundly project-based, experimental, and innovative process.

These harmonious compositions can be described as magical: voids are spatialized according to harmonic proportions, and sound takes form within structures specifically designed to make its point of emission appear absent.

A lifelong music enthusiast and admirer of musical instruments, Gonzato has conceived and led numerous groundbreaking sound-related projects. His work is currently exhibited at the Rossana Orlandi Gallery in Milan.

Special thanks to La Compagnia della Marineria Tradizionale Il Nuovo Trionfo for hosting the fourth edition of my traveling art project Artista a Bordo. This association was founded with the goal of restoring and repurposing the last traditional vessels of the Upper Adriatic, starting with the trabaccolo “Il Nuovo Trionfo”, acquired in April 2008.

Today, the Compagnia della Marineria Tradizionale operates under the patronage of:

The Italian Ministry of Culture
The Superintendence for the Landscape and for the Historical, Artistic, and Ethno-Anthropological Heritage of Venice and its Lagoon
The Superintendence for Archaeological Heritage of the Veneto
The Province of Venice
The Region of Veneto