FLEXIMOPHONE (1967)

The work is composed of springs fixed to a square metal sheet suspended from the ceiling. This sheet functions both as a support and as a diffusing element, acting as a resonant soundboard. The springs, made of tempered steel, are arranged in a regular pattern, giving the piece a dual impact, both visual and sonic.

Fogliati describes the Fleximofono as a complex mechanical resonator in which the springs vibrate in sonic sympathy. When the device is stimulated by ambient noise, it emits white-noise sounds. However, this emission can also be generated through direct interaction: the viewer may strike one or more springs, triggering a chain reaction. The sound of each spring—its intensity proportional to its size—is amplified through resonance with the ensemble of the other springs.

The Fleximofoni can also be activated by the action of the wind when placed outdoors. In the project of the Fantastic City, their purpose was precisely to give life to an Aeolian concert. They are therefore not passive elements in relation to nature, but actively intervene in its transformation, influencing and modifying elements such as the wind.

Fogliati also explains that he chose springs because he wanted the sculpture to be physically light. With the Fleximofono, he was able to combine the sonic and visual dimensions: when the work is still, the overlapping springs filter the light, creating a kind of visual screen, an element that stands between the observer and the world.