Kevin Schmidt Works
Excess Dispersion Series
2018-ongoing
waste materials
variable dimensions
Excess Dispersion is an ongoing series of acoustic diffusion panels built from discarded wood materials. Acoustic diffusers are designed to break up sound waves that bounce against them. The differing depths of the slots cause frequencies within a sound wave to reflect differently. As opposed to acoustic absorbers, which deaden the feeling of a room, diffusers allow reverberation while preventing echoes, which muddy and confuse sounds for listeners.

The Excess Dispersion panels were made following online plans and calculators (such as the free software QRDude). I specifically chose methods that would emphasize visual qualities, resulting in panels that appeared like Modernist paintings: large art-objects intended to be viewed in public galleries and museums. In a manner similar to DIY HIFI, I was interested in conflating ideas of private and public consumption, with the constituent materials of the works tying them to the waste generated by endless cycles of extraction, development and consumption.
2018
Excess Dispersion #0
discarded cabinet offcuts, paint
186 x 203 x 17.5 cm
2018
Excess Dispersion #0
discarded cabinet offcuts, paint
186 x 203 x 17.5 cm
2018
Excess Dispersion #0 (detail)
discarded cabinet offcuts, paint
186 x 203 x 17.5 cm
2018
Excess Dispersion #0 (detail)
discarded cabinet offcuts, paint
186 x 203 x 17.5 cm
2019
Excess Dispersion #1 (detail)
10 of 43 modular panels, discarded cabinet offcuts
dimensions variable
2019
Excess Dispersion #1 (detail)
20 of 43 modular panels, discarded cabinet offcuts
dimensions variable
2019
Excess Dispersion #1 (detail)
10 of 43 modular panels, discarded cabinet offcuts
dimensions variable
2019
Excess Dispersion #1 (detail)
10 of 43 modular panels, discarded cabinet offcuts
dimensions variable
2019
Excess Dispersion #1 (detail)
20 of 43 modular panels, discarded cabinet offcuts
dimensions variable
2019
Excess Dispersion #1 (detail)
10 of 43 modular panels, discarded cabinet offcuts
dimensions variable
Excess Dispersion #2
2019
discarded cabinet offcuts
94 x 94 x 6 in
Excess Dispersion #2 (detail)
2019
discarded cabinet offcuts
94 x 94 x 6 in
Excess Dispersion #2 (detail)
2019
discarded cabinet offcuts
94 x 94 x 6 in
Excess Dispersion #3
2021
industrial logging waste
Excess Dispersion #3
2021
industrial logging waste
2022
Excess Dispersion #5(left) and #7(right)
discarded furniture
426.7 x 731.5 x 243.8 cm
2022
Excess Dispersion #5(left) and #7(right)
discarded furniture
426.7 x 731.5 x 243.8 cm
Excess Dispersion #6(left) and #4(right)
2022
Discarded furniture
426.7 x 731.5 x 243.8 cm
Excess Dispersion #6(left) and #4(right)
2022
Discarded furniture
Excess Dispersion #6(left) and #4(right)
2022
Discarded furniture
Excess Dispersion #4 (detail)
2022
Discarded furniture