As bustling Oxford street crowds with bag-clad shoppers, a side road plays host to Yuri Suzuki’s latest piece of art. Not only pleasing to the eye, but the sculpture is built with the intention to capture sounds from the surrounding roads and amplify them through colourful horns to your ears. It stands at different levels, and different size funnels, ensuring that all ages can have the same experience, also the fact that it was built in a public space adds to the feeling of bringing a community together. Whether it’s a family trip, art students hoping to find inspiration or a purely coincidental visit, Suzuki has the piece of art for any sort of day out. 

 

Not only does the structure reconnect people after lockdown, but it is also spread out enough to keep people safe and protected from each other, while also enjoying the exhibit. Although the colour scheme seems simple, sticking to primary colours was a conscious decision as Yuri Suzuki is dyslexic and has mentioned previously that these particular colours have always helped his reading. The intensity created by these paints makes the structure clear and easy to identify the sound, which suggests that the designer’s work in music has come into play for this piece of art. The contrast between London’s predominantly crepuscular and somber streets and this animated architecture really emphasises the hope that there is after the pandemic and how we can all unite because of the shared experience that the public has had. During my visit, I approached an admirer of the art, who spent her time taking photos of all angles, she told me; ‘I think it’s a really cool way to liven up the streets, it would be great to see more features like this’. Overall, Suzuki has succeeded in creating an uplifting sculpture; Sonic Bloom. 

 

 The usual thought chain around galleries often ends up in TATE or the National Portrait Gallery, but this could be the start of a gradual gain of attention to outdoors art that the city needs. Other public and free exhibitions include the Wander Art Trail: London’s largest outdoor gallery, that began in late 2020 and Sculpture In The City: that uses the urban realm as a rotating gallery space, basing artwork off of buildings. 

 

So if this winter you’re wondering what there is to do other than Christmas shop, take a stroll away from the chaos into the world of art; visit Brown Hart Gardens in Mayfair (Sonic Bloom will be around until August 2022)