The Ground
Combining visual, tactile and aural modes of perceiving sound, this composition is the result of five years of travel Atoui undertook in the Pearl River Delta in southern China, where he observed local practices of farming and the architectural environment. During this time, Atoui recorded his observations of contemporary and traditional agricultural, architectural and musical practices from the region in a booklet that he shared with craftsmen and instrument makers, who then interpreted the information in their work.
The resulting instruments were set up by Atoui to play separately and autonomously at exhibitions, first in Guangzhou and later in Singapore, where various artists and musicians were invited to respond to both the forms and sounds of the work. At the Venice Biennale (2019), the piece was presented as a completed composition and listening space based on the project's previous iterations.
- Places
- Paris · Venice · Singapore · Guangzhou
Where & when
4 presentations
- 2021THE GROUND Sessionssolo · Bourse de Commerce — Pinault Collection — Paris, France
- 2019The Groundgroup · 58th Venice Biennale — May You Live in Interesting Times — Venice, Italy
- 2018The Ground: From the Land to the Seasolo · NTU Centre for Contemporary Art Singapore — Singapore, Singapore
- 2017The Groundsolo · Mirrored Gardens — Guangzhou, China
Gallery
1 / 7
Press
- ArtAsiaPacific · ArticleTarek Atoui’s “The Ground: From the Land to the Sea”
- Cactus · interviewTarek Atoui: Sessions
- Bourse de Commerce – Pinault Collection · interview“Tout a commencé par la musique” — Tarek Atoui
- Sveriges Radio · audioTarek Atoui i Venedig: Tillbaka till marken
- NTU Centre for Contemporary Art Singapore · ReferenceThe Ground: From the Land to the Sea — NTU Centre for Contemporary Art Singapore, 2018
- Mirrored Gardens · ReferenceThe Ground — Mirrored Gardens, 2017