Renowned sound artist Yuri Suzuki has launched an innovative exhibition called "Utooto" at Camden Arts Projects gallery in London, inviting visitors to construct a collaborative sound sculpture using modular plastic pipes and horns. The interactive installation allows participants to communicate through sounds rather than words while building their own version of a utopian city.
The name "Utooto" combines the word "utopia" with "oto," the Japanese term for sound. Suzuki drew inspiration from famous utopian cities including Brasília, Milton Keynes, and Walt Disney's EPCOT to create this participatory artwork. "I conceived an installation where people could actively build their own prototype utopia in real time, using simple, primitive materials – pipes and horns – to create small acoustic sculptures and architectural forms that also function as communication devices," Suzuki explained.
The concept reflects the artist's decade-long exploration of how sound can bring people together. "For over a decade, my work has explored how sound can bring people closer together, and in a time of increasing division, I wanted to create an exhibition that could serve as a collective, hands-on prototype for a better future," he told Dezeen magazine.
Suzuki's inspiration also stems from architectural history, particularly Le Corbusier's collaboration with composer Iannis Xenakis. "The concept originates from an installation I presented in 2015 at the Saint-Étienne Design Biennale, inside Le Corbusier's church," the artist revealed. "I was particularly inspired by the period when Le Corbusier collaborated with Iannis Xenakis, and by works where sound and architecture were directly intertwined. A major reference was the 1958 Philips Pavilion, whose form was based on Xenakis's musical scores and sound wave patterns."
The installation consists of pre-cut pipes and horn modules that visitors can connect to create small structures, which are then added to the central "city" of the exhibition. "Each piece functions both visually and acoustically, carrying sound between different points," Suzuki explained. "As more participants add to the structure, the soundscape and the architecture grow in parallel – much like a prototype community that evolves through the contributions of its members."
Suzuki deliberately chose lightweight materials to ensure the installation is accessible and safe for participants of all ages and abilities. The components are designed "much like the building blocks of a model city, but reimagined for sound and interaction." This approach encourages broad participation and makes the creative process inclusive for diverse audiences.
The scale of Utooto is theoretically limitless, according to Suzuki, who envisions it as a continuous, evolving project. "In theory, it could be as large as the space – or the community – allows. With enough components and participants, it could fill an entire building or connect across multiple sites," he said. "The scale is limited only by the imagination and collaboration of the people involved, echoing the idea of a city that is never finished, always in the making."
The final installation will also feature a soundscape incorporating human voices speaking in multiple languages, adding another layer of global communication to the project. The multilingual element reinforces the utopian theme of bringing diverse communities together through shared creative expression.
For Suzuki, the true artwork lies not in the final sculpture but in the collaborative process itself. "I wanted to create not just an artwork to look at, but a space that functions like a public workshop for building a community – much like EPCOT's original vision of a city as a constantly evolving prototype," he concluded. "When visitors collaborate on constructing something, they're not just making physical structures; they're also forming temporary social connections, negotiating ideas, and shaping the environment together. That process is the real artwork."
This exhibition continues Suzuki's practice of creating interactive sound installations in public spaces. His previous works include an acoustic playground in a Shanghai park and a "trumpet-like" art installation in San Francisco, both of which explore the intersection of sound, architecture, and community engagement.
Utooto is currently on display at Camden Arts Projects, located at 176 Prince Wales Road, London NW5 3PT, and will run from August 8 through October 5, 2025. The exhibition represents Suzuki's ongoing commitment to using sound as a medium for fostering human connection and collaborative creativity in an increasingly divided world.
