Philippe Parreno's Turbine Hall Installation Anywhere Blends Sound, Light and Living Organisms

The Hyundai Commission by Philippe Parreno, named Anywhen, was displayed at Tate Modern from 4 October 2016 to 2 April 2017. This installation reimagined the Turbine Hall into an engaging, non-linear space, featuring helium-filled fish balloons, synchronized lighting, and a descending screen that showcased a film with ventriloquist Nina Conti alongside footage of cuttlefish. Soundscapes included children's voices and the sounds of thunderstorms. A bioreactor containing yeast cultures regulated the timing of events in response to atmospheric changes, granting the installation a semi-autonomous quality. Parreno examined the interplay of communication among artificial, digital, and organic entities, with cuttlefish representing chromatic expression. This work followed previous large-scale commissions by Anish Kapoor, Olafur Eliasson, and Bruce Nauman.