Sounds In Motion was a mini exhibit that explored the intersection of music and motion design as powerful forms of communication that connect individuals on both psychological and emotional levels. While music and visual motion are often experienced as sources of entertainment, this project highlights their deeper potential beyond enjoyment and relaxation. Through intentional sound and movement, the exhibit demonstrates how these elements can promote healing, encourage emotional expression, and support individuals facing physical and mental challenges. Sounds In Motion presents music and motion design not only as artistic mediums but also as meaningful tools for healing and overall well-being.
Sounds In Motion: Observation into Mood, Motion Design, and Music
Project Overview
Sounds in Motion explores how digital spaces that integrate music, graphics, and human interaction can serve as powerful environments for healing and emotional well-being. By combining sound, visual design, and interactive experiences, these spaces move beyond traditional entertainment to create meaningful connections that support mental and emotional health. Music enhances emotional resonance, graphics provide visual stimulation and clarity, and interaction fosters a sense of presence and community among participants. Together, these elements form immersive digital environments that encourage self-expression, reflection, and emotional release. As a result, the project redefines digital spaces as therapeutic resources—places where individuals can engage, heal, and find comfort through shared sensory experiences rather than passive consumption.
My Role:
Designer
Apps Used:
Discovery & Research
Research into music psychology and visual perception revealed that repetitive, low-stimulation environments can foster calm, focus, and emotional grounding. Lo-fi Hip-Hop was identified as a particularly relevant genre due to its widespread association with relaxation, introspection, and emotional safety. Studies and cultural discourse surrounding the Lo-fi community emphasize mood and atmosphere over lyrical narrative, aligning closely with the project’s goal of creating a non-prescriptive emotional space.
Visual research included motion-based abstract art, audio-reactive installations, and minimalist design systems used in therapeutic and meditative contexts. Looping motion graphics emerged as a key strategy, as loops remove the pressure of narrative progression and allow users to enter and exit the experience freely. This sense of continuity supports comfort and emotional ease, reinforcing the idea of the visualizer as a supportive presence rather than a directed experience.
Further investigation into color theory and sensory overload informed the decision to work within a restrained black-and-white palette. By limiting color, the design minimizes distraction and encourages viewers to focus on rhythm, movement, and emotional resonance. The use of abstract two-dimensional and three-dimensional forms allows for personal interpretation, avoiding literal imagery that could impose meaning or emotional expectation.
Design
This project was designed around the idea that a customized visualizer tailored to an individual’s emotional state could serve as a meaningful form of self-therapy. By creating adaptable visual experiences that respond to mood and sound, these visualizers have the potential to become accessible therapeutic resources in spaces such as therapy lounges, academic campuses, and public pop-up installations. The goal was to design an experience that feels intuitive, calming, and emotionally supportive rather than prescriptive or overwhelming.
The visual design centers on a series of looping motion graphics paired with Lo-fi Hip-Hop music. Loops were intentionally chosen to create a sense of continuity and comfort, allowing viewers to enter the experience at any moment without the pressure of following a beginning or end. The use of Lo-fi Hip-Hop reinforces relaxation and emotional grounding, as the genre is widely associated with calm focus, introspection, and emotional ease.
Visually, the graphics combine detailed patterns with two-dimensional and three-dimensional abstract forms, presented in an isolated black-and-white color palette. This restrained palette minimizes distraction and enhances focus, allowing viewers to engage with motion, rhythm, and mood rather than narrative content. Typography and synchronized movement further strengthen the connection between sound and visuals, creating a cohesive sensory experience.
By distancing the visuals from a clear narrative, the design allows users to project their own emotions and interpretations onto the work. This approach reflects the core values of the Lo-fi Hip-Hop community, emphasizing atmosphere, emotion, and rhythm over storytelling. The resulting motion graphics, displayed as large-scale projections in a gallery setting and animated through audio-reactive techniques in Adobe After Effects, were designed to interact directly with music. This interaction reinforces the therapeutic intent of the project, encouraging immersion, emotional reflection, and personal connection.
Exhibit Documentation
Design exhibit documentation plays a critical role in capturing the intent, process, and impact of the project beyond the physical exhibition space. For this project, documentation was approached as an extension of the design itself—preserving the immersive qualities of the experience while providing clarity on its conceptual and technical foundations. Through photographs, the documentation records how viewers interact with the visualizers, the spatial arrangement of the projections, and the relationship between sound, motion, and environment.
