Visitor

“All journeys have secret destinations of which the traveler is unaware.”
- Martin Buber

Visitor transforms real-time cosmic phenomena into shimmering sonic cascades.

Muons—ancient subatomic particles birthed in the depths of the cosmos— are translated into light and sound through a bespoke detector suspended in the venue. Each muon travels unfathomable distances, for millions of light years, from black holes or exploding stars. As it arrives, its energy sets off a kinetic reaction; igniting a sensory spectacle across a 65-metre structure suspended in the darkness.

8 strategically positioned speakers along the length of the venue immerse the audience in an otherworldly spatial symphony. Brightness, colour palettes, loudness and the types of sounds triggered and dictated directly by the energy of the muon detected at that moment. When the muon passes through the detector, it releases photons. Using bespoke code, these photons are converted to a voltage and finally a MIDI (sound protocol) and DMX (light protocol) value. If the muon contains higher energy, then sounds will be louder and the colours brighter. The energy of the particle randomly generates a vast library of soundscapes, and so the piece has no fixed duration and is constantly evolving.

Visitor blurs the line between art and science, technology and magic,
by exploring scale, distance and connection. 

A merging of the cosmic and the terrestrial, Visitor invites audiences
to contemplate the vastness of the universe, 
the fragility of our existence within it, and the mystery of the unseen forces around us.

AWARDS

2025 Prolight + Sound Opus Immersive Sound Award 

CREDITS

Concept, sound design and production by Christo Squier
Creative Technology by Chris Ball
Lighting Design by Chris Ball and Christo Squier

With thanks to Magna Science Adventure Centre and Rotherham City Council