"Sauvage", sound installation
"Sauvage" (Wild) is a spontaneous, clandestine, ephemeral sound art installation — a "sound tag". A small audio device, hung high up — in a tree, along a pole, under a ledge — that reinjects nature sounds into the heart of the city. Lightweight, unauthorised: like a piece of graffiti, but for the ears. The devices stay up for a few hours to a few days, take occasional breaks, and switch off automatically at night.
The idea is simple: to create a breach. A moment where a passer-by looks up, searches for the source, and smiles. Where the mineral city lets in a fragment of the living world.
The sounds
For example: crickets, for a purely bucolic approach that questions the place of wildlife in our cities. Waves, for the strange, almost displaced feeling of a sea sound in the heart of concrete. Or cat meowing, to touch on the importance of sound in our perception of the world — that immediate attention and that instinctive compassion towards an animal that might need us.
Here is one of the centrepieces of this installation:
The artist
My name is Joseph Sardin. I am a sound recordist, audio naturalist, sound designer and founder of BigSoundBank.com, a library of free sounds visited by 5,000 to 10,000 people every day.
"Sauvage" is my way of taking my recordings off the screen — into the street, into public space, where nobody expects them. An adventure carried out in collaboration with Axeline Thiébaut.
Frequently asked questions
How do passers-by react?
Not everyone notices it — and that's almost expected. In the city, sounds pile up and the ear learns to filter. A good number of passers-by don't register it at all. Others hear it, pause for a second, then walk on without looking further. Some, more curious, stop, look up and search for the source — that's often where the magic happens. And then, very rarely: those who scan the QR code and find themselves here, discovering what this is all about. You can probably guess which category you fall into!
Where and when can I see this installation?
Since this is a work as "wild" as its name suggests, few installations will be announced in advance. I can tell you it has already been set up several times in Paris (in the La Madeleine district and on Place du Châtelet), as well as in La Loupe (28).
I'm a journalist — can I write about it?
Yes, of course. I don't approach journalists — that's a deliberate choice. If "Sauvage" ends up in the press, it's because residents noticed it, photographed it, shared it, and the story travelled on its own. That's part of what the work is about. That said, feel free to get in touch and use the photos and videos on this page freely — they are royalty-free.
How long will it stay?
A few hours to a few days — depending on the weather, the battery, and the artist's mood. If you're reading this, it may already be gone.
Is it legal?
No — and that's intentional. Like a piece of graffiti, the installation is placed without permission, in public space. It leaves no trace, damages nothing: the device is never fixed solidly, switches off automatically at night to avoid any disturbance, and I remove it myself quickly. Besides, Invaders, Banksy's works, and others — illegal in their time — often end up being part of what gives a city its charm.
A question? Interested in collaborating?
If this installation surprised or moved you, or if you would like to host "Sauvage" in your city, your festival or your event — get in touch.
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♥ - Joseph SARDIN - Founder of BigSoundBank.com - About - Contact