Tarek Atoui brings an immersive sound installation to Tate Modern’s Turbine Hall
Tarek Atoui, a Lebanese artist renowned for creating immersive sound installations, is preparing a new work for the Tate Modern's Turbine Hall. The artist transforms everyday environments into musical experiences by listening intently to the world around him and coaxing sound from unexpected sources. His upcoming installation marks another chapter in his evolution away from traditional concert halls towards more accessible public spaces.
Atoui's previous exhibitions have featured bespoke instruments fashioned from scavenged materials, interactive synthesisers, and experimental acoustic structures that engage visitors as active participants rather than passive observers. Influenced by experimental composers and the Fluxus movement, he has worked globally with diverse communities, including deaf students in the UAE, and learned that hearing varies based on individual physiology and emotion. Rather than pursuing perfect execution, his art prioritises creative process—a philosophy well suited to the Turbine Hall's inherent challenges of ambient noise and shifting crowds.
- Lebanese artist transforms everyday sounds into immersive participatory musical installations
- His Tate work marks his continued move from concert halls to public spaces
- He believes everyone experiences and hears sound differently
New here? Start with this
Tarek Atoui is a Lebanese artist who creates immersive sound installations that transform everyday spaces into musical experiences. Rather than performing in traditional concert halls, he works in public environments and coaxes sound from unexpected materials and sources around him.
Atoui's practice involves building bespoke instruments from scavenged materials and designing interactive installations that invite visitors to actively participate rather than simply listen. His work has been shaped by experimental music and art movements, and he has collaborated with diverse communities worldwide, including exploring how different people experience sound based on their individual physiology and background.
The Turbine Hall at Tate Modern is a notoriously challenging space—a vast industrial setting filled with echoing ambient noise and shifting crowds. It represents the kind of unconventional public environment where Atoui's approach to sound and participation thrives, rather than the controlled setting of a traditional gallery or concert venue.
Art Culture Entertainment Gaming Music Space Technology
Read the full article at the source →
Originally published by The Guardian as “Play that funky Turbine Hall! How artist Tarek Atoui aims to take the Tate on a sonic odyssey”.