Experiments

Speculative experiments in motion

001

Texture Study

Texture Study

In this experiment I began wondering, how does one communicate tactility, or the textured feel of sound? Listening to Silk by Fiji Mageba, I’m reminded of an old-fashioned loom used to weave silk. The song feels as though each vocal layer has been carefully threaded, composed with the same precision and rhythm as weaving. Through this study, I explored that sensation, an abstract interpretation of voices and harmonies weaving in and out of a suspended void.

002

Star Study

Star Study

I’ve always been drawn to the cosmos, its vastness, its quiet mystery. Some of my fondest memories are of stargazing, escaping the city to marvel at constellations in full view. When I first heard Star of a Story composed by Rod Temperton, those memories returned vividly. I began to wonder: what would it mean to peer into, and move intimately within, a body of stars? As the stars glitter and bloom, the visual reminds you that the universe is vast and full of mysteries worth exploring.

003

Wind Study

Wind Study

Listening to Gone by Alex Isley, you become completely enveloped in the airy vocals she wields, haunting harmonies that drift and intertwine with a delicate ease. I began to wonder how to express that intangible nature of wind. Her harmonies, much like the wind itself, are something you long to grasp, yet they slip effortlessly through your fingers. It cannot be contained; it simply moves, freely, gracefully. This experiment searches for a way to visualise that fleeting, precious essence.

004

Material Study

Material Study

Drifting like a ribbon in the void, carried by the tender currents of Stevie Wonder’s Ribbon in the Sky. Each note lifts the imagined material, each piano chord cradles its edges, as if the air itself were shaping its form. It floats, weightless and delicate, tracing the song’s rhythm, catching glimpses of its soulful warmth. In this motion, it is both fragile and infinite, suspended between sound and space, echoing the quiet grace of music interpretations made visible.

005

Nebula Study

Nebula Study

Inspired by a fascination with space, this piece interprets nebulae while I listened to Pink Lightning by Sidibe. The song’s bold, electric intensity mirrors the cosmic dance of dust and gas as stars transition through their lives. Clouds cluster and shimmer, casting luminous hues across the void, while lightning-like streaks pulse and flicker within their folds. The work seeks to capture both the ethereal beauty and restless energy of these celestial formations, translating sound into a luminous, flowing visual exploration.

006

Particle Study

Particle Study

This experiment explores particles drifting and clustering within the vast, imagined void I often explore. Movement unfolds across the x, y, and z planes, as particles disperse, collide, and form clusters, tracing paths of energy and interaction. Unbound, they float freely from foreground to background, suggesting depth, scale, and rhythm within the space. The work captures the interplay of individual and collective motion, inviting the viewer to witness a choreography of tiny forms in constant flux.

Connecting sound, motion, and space into visual movements, these studies become textures that weave, particles that shimmer, and pulsing stars, inviting moments to linger and contemplate, concepts that shape my perception and imagination.

All Rights Reserved

Mala Mahlulo © 2025

Follow me on socials

Follow me on socials

Follow me on socials

Follow me on socials

Follow me on socials

Follow me on socials