a reflective metal record maps sonic memory across time and space

Qiuwen Lyu TRANSFORMS SONIC TRAJECTORY INTO METAL RECORD

Interdisciplinary artist and designer Qiuwen Lyu presents A Billion Solitary Universes, a sculptural sound object that reinterprets the legacy of NASA’s Voyager Golden Record through material experimentation and speculative design. Constructed from aluminum, nickel, and cubic zirconia, the work transforms the idea of a message intended for extraterrestrial life into a reflection on human isolation, memory, and collective existence.

The project translates sound into a physical artifact through a multi-stage fabrication process. Sampled audio recordings were composed into a continuous sonic sequence and transferred onto lacquer before being electroformed into a nickel master disc. Through this process, ephemeral sound becomes embedded within a permanent metallic surface, positioning the object between recording medium, archival artifact, and sculptural memorial.

the front surface with etched texture at the center | all images courtesy of Qiuwen Lyu

reflecting THE FRAGILITY OF HUMANITY through TIME AND SPACE

The work constructs what designer Qiuwen Lyu describes as a sonic trajectory that moves from the personal scale toward broader historical and cosmic frameworks. Fragments of private recordings intersect with public and historical references, producing moments of resonance and interruption. Rather than presenting humanity as unified, the project frames coexistence through shared mortality and temporal fragility within larger systems of time and space.

Material treatment reinforces these themes throughout the object. The polished metallic surface references both industrial manufacturing and astronomical instrumentation, while etched satellite imagery on the reverse side evokes cartography, distance, and planetary observation. Hand-carved details and cubic zirconia inlays introduce another layer of material contrast, combining reflective surfaces with ornamental precision.

Through the transformation of sound into metal, A Billion Solitary Universes examines how memory, communication, and human presence are preserved across time. Positioned between speculative artifact and contemporary design object, the work reconsiders the relationship between technology, material permanence, and the fragile conditions of human existence.

record made of aluminium, nickel, and cubic zirconia