French Voice Sculptor Gilles Azzaro Wants to Spread Love in the Wake of Terror

When Paris was attacked by terrorists last Friday, people around the world responded with a range of emotions. Grief, anger, fear; all are natural reactions to such a brutal tragedy. All too often, however, pain turns into hatred. I’ve known way too many people who, after any tragic attack, are ready to turn on refugees and immigrants, to slam our doors shut, to blame thousands of people for the actions of a few. These reactions come easily, but while actions have to be taken to stop the violent perpetrators, it’s critical that we don’t allow our animosity to spread further.

French artist Gilles Azzaro, after hearing about the Paris attacks, wanted to spread the opposite of hatred. We’ve written about Azzaro before; the incredible “voice sculptor” literally prints sound. He made headlines a few years ago when he recorded President Obama’s State of the Union address, then 3D printed the sound waves. The result, which was presented to the President in 2014, was a sculpture that looked like a vast, surreal cityscape. Similarly, he created a beautiful piece based on the cries of a newborn.

Azzaro’s latest creation is a simple and beautiful piece of jewelry with a simple and beautiful message. He recorded the words “love is the answer,” printed the stereophonic sound waves, and turned them into a pendant which he is offering for sale on Shapeways.

“Here in France, we feel the tension with these daily attacks. We see the war on our streets,” Azzaro tells 3DPrint.com. “I felt that the situation would get worse, I was working for months on a new project. I wanted to create a symbol of love….if everyone does something, it can happen. This is my contribution to what people discover themselves and feel better.”

The signed pendant, which Azzaro has already gifted to Michelle, Malia and Sasha Obama, is available in a range of materials from plastic ($22) to polished gold steel ($117). Azzaro tells us that this is the first time he’s offered his works for sale to everyone, noting that “The price is very low, and superb print quality at Shapeways,” and that this pendant would “make a great gift for Christmas.”

It resembles a mountain range with rolling hills and sharp peaks; strikingly, the sound waves of the word “love” created the piece’s highest peaks. Azzaro says that when he created the pendant, he focused on his most positive thoughts in hopes that its wearers could feel the same peace.

“I believe the world needs to love. In France, we feel this very strong, the people are united, and demonstrate for freedom,” Azzaro tells us, “but the world is hit by a minority of crazy, so you have to fight with what we have. I am very angry, but I converted to love for the planet.”

On his Shapeways page, he offers his personal dogma:

– Live your dreams or try to make them happen,
– Dare because “it is impossible” is what you need to do,
– Create your own experiences : trying is better than hoping,
– Transform any experience into a positive one,
– Happiness is just on the other side of your fears,
– Realize that you can only see with your heart – Most is invisible to your eyes,
– Give to receive the best.

“Humans are their own predators,” Azzaro adds, “responsible for many horrors, wars, injustices, cruelty and ignore what should animate our lives: Love.”

L’amour est la réponse.

Discuss this story in the 3D Printing to Combat Terror forum thread on 3DPB.com.