Tarek Atoui's Sonic Odyssey at Tate Modern Turbine Hall 2026

Tarek Atoui's sonic odyssey at Tate Modern's Turbine Hall transforms the iconic space into a playable instrument. The artist, known for his immersive sound installations, listens to the world and coaxes a tune out of it, turning cities into symphonies.

In a recent conversation, Atoui demonstrated this philosophy by drumming his fingers on a table, asking me to listen. I heard a busker by the riverside, the hum of people, a plane overhead, a boat under the bridge. "You can identify a city by how it sounds," he says, "as much as by how it looks. And not only that! You can play a city, just like I am playing the table, so that it sings."

This is the essence of Atoui's practice. As a musician and impresario, he creates exhibitions that resemble recording studios in the midst of improvisation sessions. Instruments are built from scavenged materials: tentacular wind organs, bleeping synthesisers, glass booths that whistle around your body, marble boulders emitting pulses, and drums that beat to shifting patterns. Your footsteps are picked up by microphones and fed back into the music. It's a world in miniature, made of sound.

Tarek Atoui's Sonic Odyssey at Tate Modern

Now, Atoui brings his sonic odyssey to Tate Modern's Turbine Hall, a cavernous space with a shifting audience of chattering day-trippers and overstimulated senses. The challenge is to engage this transient crowd and make them part of the performance. Atoui's installation will likely feature his signature interactive instruments, inviting visitors to become both performers and audience.

The Turbine Hall has hosted monumental works by artists like Olafur Eliasson and Ai Weiwei, but Atoui's focus on sound offers a unique sensory experience. His work encourages active listening, turning the hall into a resonating chamber where every footstep, whisper, and ambient noise becomes part of the composition.

How Atoui Creates Immersive Sound Art

Atoui's process begins with deep listening. He immerses himself in the sonic environment of a place, recording its rhythms and textures. Then, he designs instruments that respond to these sounds, often using unconventional materials. For example, in past works, he used marble because of its acoustic properties, and glass for its resonant qualities.

Collaboration is key. Atoui works with musicians, engineers, and artisans to build his instruments. Each piece is tailored to the specific space and community. The resulting installations are not static; they evolve as visitors interact with them, creating a feedback loop of sound and movement.

Comparison with Other Tate Modern Turbine Hall Installations

While Eliasson and Weiwei focused on visual and tactile experiences, Atoui's work is primarily auditory. It challenges visitors to use their ears as much as their eyes, creating a more introspective and participatory encounter.

Key Takeaways from Atoui's Approach

• Active listening: Atoui encourages audiences to tune into the sounds around them, turning everyday noise into music.
• Interactive instruments: His installations are playable, inviting visitors to create sound through touch and movement.
• Site-specific design: Each work is tailored to the acoustics and community of the space.
• Collaboration: Atoui works with experts to build unique instruments from unexpected materials.
• Sensory immersion: The experience engages multiple senses, with sound as the primary medium.

Atoui's sonic odyssey is not just an exhibition; it's an invitation to listen differently. In a world saturated with visual stimuli, he reminds us that sound can be a powerful tool for connection and creativity.

FAQ

Atoui's work at Tate Modern promises to be a landmark event in sound art, inviting us all to become part of the sonic odyssey.