2024 – ongoing
kinetic sound installation
with kind support from SKE Fonds, Stadt Wien, BMWKMS Austria, BMEIA Austria
Next exhibitions: Heritage Art Space, Vietnam (2026) and GMEA residency – Centre National de Creation Musicale Albi, France (2026)
Drone & Drone is a kinetic sound installation with rotating Vietnamese aeolian flutes that is conceived and being developed by Siedl/Cao. This work centers around “drone” – both as a pilotless aircraft i.e. the future of warfare and at the same time “drone” as an ancient healing sustaining sound. „Drone & Drone“ invites contemplation on the dual nature of humanity—the potential to create beauty, goodness, and transcendence while also possessing the power to destroy both the world and ourselves.
Not many people know that some of the earliest unmanned drones were used by the American army during the Vietnam war, primarily for military observation, electronic warfare, decoy missions and in psychological warfare. On the contrary the aeolian flutes used in this installation come from a long-standing and still vibrant tradition of singing kite-flutes in Vietnam, which symbolises people’s hope for peace and prosperity.
This project had its debut at Manzi Art Space in Hanoi, Vietnam (1.2025) and has been further developed during the Uncool artist residency in Switzerland (6.2025) and Paradise artist residency in Japan (7.2025). It can be exhibited as a scalable self-running kinetic sound installation.
Siedl/Cao 