Portraits Sonores: Capturing the Sound of Time on Place de la Concorde

On Place de la Concorde in Paris, journalist Monica Fantini invited passersby to answer the question: 'What sound does time make?' as part of a participatory sound portrait series. The recordings took place during the 'Vivre Ensemble' event (April 11–May 10, 2026), conceived by Yann Arthus-Bertrand and the GoodPlanet Foundation. The event includes an open-air exhibition of 185 portraits from Arthus-Bertrand's book 'France, un album de famille' (Actes Sud), a photo studio designed by Renzo Piano where the public can be photographed by Arthus-Bertrand, and programming around engagement, including 'Le quart d'heure de fraternité' by La Fabrique du Nous, led by Tarik Ghezali and Nathalie Gatellier. Fantini's sound portraits are part of the 'Écouter le monde' project, a radio show and participatory platform on RFI that collects soundscapes from around the world. The episode features piano improvisations by Paul Torrent and was produced by Laurence Allanic.