S.M.A.K: Tarek Atoui

For his first solo exhibition at a Belgian museum, electro-acoustic composer and artist Tarek Atoui brings together existing works and new productions.

Sound lies at the heart of the artistic practice of Tarek Atoui (b. 1980, Beirut, Lebanon). As an electro-acoustic composer and artist, Atoui is known for creating sonic-sculptural landscapes inspired by sound as well as images, matter, space, time, human actions and organic processes. Within these inventive listening environments, which appeal to more than just the ear, he creates rich experiences and interactions that carry sensory as well as socio-political meanings.

The meticulously designed musical instruments, listening devices, sculptures and objects in Tarek Atoui’s works are the result of detailed conceptual and technical processes. Drawing on deep research and experimentation, they bear the stamp of his collaborations with experts, craftsmen and other interested parties. Composed into fascinating, agile installations that interact with the context in which they are exhibited, they encourage activity in a myriad ways. Different things can happen in these non-hierarchical learning environments: a stand-alone musical composition might run or the instruments can be activated, either by professional musicians or during a guided visit. The installations might be the object of a participatory workshop. Visitors to the exhibition are gently prompted to listen to the space, to each other and to themselves.

For his first solo exhibition at a Belgian museum, Tarek Atoui brings together existing works and new productions in a detailed, associative ensemble. He draws on projects such as WITHIN (2013- on-going), which considers alternative ways of generating music, and The Whisperers, an exploration of how existing sounds change in relation to an array of materials, such as marble, glass, metal and water. Two new works, 66 Soft Cells and Windhouse #1 further expand the experiential and perceptual richness of the overall landscape.

The exhibition is realised with the support of the French Embassy in Belgium and the Institut français Paris. It is organised within the framework of EXTRA, a programme supporting contemporary French creations in Belgium.

Tarek Atoui (° 1980, Beirut, Lebanon) lives and works in Paris. Over the past decade, he has participated in major international exhibitions, including dOCUMENTA 13 (2012) and the 58e Biennial of Venice (2019). Solo exhibitions featuring his work took place at IAC, Lyon (2023); Mudam Luxembourg - Musée d'Art Moderne Grand-Duc Jean (2022); the Serralves Museum of Contemporary Art, Porto (2022 and 2018); The Contemporary Austin (2022); The FLAG Art Foundation, New York (2022); Bourse du Commerce - Pinault Collection, Paris (2021); Fridericianum, Kassel (2020); Sharjah Art Foundation, Sharjah (2020); NTU Centre for Contemporary Art Singapore (2018); Bergen Assembly (2016); Tate Modern, London (2016); Berkeley Art Museum and Pacific Film Archive (2015) and Fondation Louis Vuitton, Paris (2014 and 2015).

TAREK ATOUI THE SHORE / A PLACE I’D LIKE TO BE 

5 april 2024 – 25 august 2024 

S.M.A.K | GHENT, BELGIUM

On the cover: Tarek Atoui, The Organ Within, 2019
Performance at Guggenheim Museum (New York, USA)
© Enid Alvarez

Source: S.M.A.K