[Gallery Walk] 'Travel' Crossing Sounds... Tarek Atoui Solo Exhibition

by Kim Heeyun

Published 03 Nov.2023 10:37(KST)

From the 3rd, Art Sonje Center in Sogyeok-dong, Seoul
Exploring Traditional Instruments and Utensils through Collaboration between Instrument Makers and Onggi Potters

"All sounds can become music, a source of energy, or a manipulated source of emotion depending on how they are used and worked with. Beyond that, I hope the sounds I create can be objectified in some way."

'Tarek Atoui: The Rain' installation view. [Photo courtesy of Art Sonje Center] ? 2023. Art Sonje Center all rights reserved

The first solo exhibition in Korea by Lebanese artist Tarek Atoui, who has been combining various genres such as electronic music, live performances, and sculptural installations to present experimental sounds over the past 20 years, titled "Tarek Atoui: The Rain," will be held from the 3rd at the Art Sonje Center in Sogyeok-dong, Seoul.

As can be inferred from the exhibition title "The Rain," this exhibition focuses on water among the four classical elements (water, fire, earth, air), with various water sounds created by the artist taking center stage.

After visiting Korea in 2019 for research, the artist collaborated with Korean artisans such as Seo In-seok, a traditional instrument maker (Intangible Cultural Property No. 12 of Jeollabuk-do), Jeong Hee-chang, an Onggi (traditional Korean earthenware) master, and young ceramic artist Kang Ji-hyang. The results of five years of exploring and researching the fusion of Korean sounds and his own sculptural language are showcased in this exhibition.

On the second floor of the exhibition hall, over 40 "instruments" are displayed, which are traditional Korean percussion instruments such as the daebuk, janggu, and kkwaenggwari that have been dismantled and newly reinterpreted. Instead of the drumhead separated from the dismantled drums, new instruments with paper, rubber, or ceramic plates attached produce unfamiliar sounds never heard before by the audience.

The sound of rotating branches scraping against ceramic drumheads lands on a rough yet steady rhythm with a sense of stability. Drumsticks with Onggi objects produce powerful sounds completely different from traditional wooden drumsticks.

The artist, a composer and sound performer, has continuously conducted in-depth research on multilayered, open, and dynamic sounds and instruments through various activities. He gained fame for large-scale collaborative performances exploring new production methods. In his first solo exhibition in Korea, he redefines the concept of instruments through reinterpretation of traditional Korean percussion instruments and presents a diverse range of new sounds inspired by Korean traditional music and the philosophy embedded within it.

Previously, the artist completed a unique and experimental stage by presenting "Prelude to Rain" (2023) at the opening ceremony of the 14th Gwangju Biennale, utilizing various objects that reinterpret traditional Korean instruments.

Tarek Atoui’s attempts renew the audience’s perception of the visual, tactile, and auditory aspects of sound. Beyond historical reflection and exploration of instrument making and new attempts, the artist raises questions about how our experience of acoustic elements shapes our perception of the world.

Tarek Atoui performing after installing his work The Reverse Collection. [Photo by Tate Modern] ?Theyry Bal

On the first floor of the exhibition hall, a space is also prepared where visitors can play instruments themselves. Visitors can touch and shake various objects selected by the artist and enjoy their own performances. The Art Sonje Center also added that workshops and performances for children will be held.

The artist, who confessed to loving the moment when body, sound, and instrument become one, said about this exhibition, "It will be an opportunity to explore new ways of listening using various tools along with the experience of discovering everyday objects anew through diverse idea experiments."