The multidisciplinary creative’s new art exhibition at Christie’s Los Angeles explores sacred geometry and the physical representation of Solfeggio sounds
Words by ELIZABETH VARNELL
PHOTO: Courtesy of SAMI HAYEK.
“I wanted to put a lot of intention into what you don’t see,” says Sami Hayek, whose latest exhibition, Frequency — comprising tables, rotating spheres, and installations — is on view at Christie’s Los Angeles through December 7. Hayek, who was trained at The Art Center College of Design, is known for dreaming up objects that invoke a specific feeling in viewers. For this show he set out to explore the interactions materials have with each other, and how each object’s blended frequencies exist in conversation together. Walnut and volcanic stone tables are inspired by sacred geometry, Solfeggio sounds are blended in decorative spheres that hang on walls, square coffee tables rooted to the ground include vitrines with beautiful winged insects sourced from around the globe. Hayek’s objects are designed to both carry intention and emanate it outward amid spaces and people. Here, the Mexican native explains how. Christie’s Los Angeles, 336 N. Camden Dr., Beverly Hills, 310-385-2600; christies.com.
PHOTO: Courtesy of SAMI HAYEK.
You’ve created works evoking a particular frequency. Which one?
These are physical representations of a specific frequency called 528. Bees hum it with their wings, sand produces visual patterns reacting to vibrations of frequencies, also water. This show explores how objects hold intentions and emanate them back to the viewer. I’m thinking of how I want people to feel when they engage with the spaces or objects I make. I acknowledge that you become the addition of what you see and hear and what you’re exposed to.
These objects you’ve made hold specific intentions?
It’s ambitious, what I’m saying. A table is made of reclaimed wood from Brazil that was in a stadium. Imagine 80 years of cheering. Can you hear all these people for 80 years yelling for their soccer team? If walls could talk — well, they can and they do. The idea of frequency has to do with congruency. Everything is more congruent than we believe. In a chapel, the height and architecture is congruent, it’s cohesive, it’s the same frequency. The art community is very different from the soccer fan community. But they’re cohesive.
PHOTO: Mason Kuehler.
What materials do you use here?
Hand-chiseled raw volcanic rock from Mexico. Aerospace-grade aluminum is hand-anodized, so it moves; it’s expressive in shape, color, and geometry. There’s structural freedom but also groundedness in the designs. There are big chunks of raw walnut pieces and polished marble.
Tell us about the aluminum spheres.
The grounding element is the wall. The spheres are made from solid aluminum carved in different layers. There are 528 pieces. Each spins, so it has more freedom. When it’s spinning it’s setting off a super high frequency. Once you spin them, you want to keep spinning them. Touch them and there’s a ringing sound. There’s shape, spinning, symbolism, and sound.
What do you hope to evoke with the objects and environment you’re creating?
In the space of neutrality, you can become anything you want. We all develop a specific personality to survive with cultures and ideologies. But we have trouble realizing we don’t always need all of them. We are meant to expand. We have all the tools to become whatever we want at any given time.
PHOTO: Mason Kuehler.
Feature image: PHOTO: Mason Kuehler.
November 16, 2023.
Discover more CULTURE news.
