Tarek Atoui's Sonic Sculptures Merge Visual Art and Experimental Composition

Tarek Atoui, an artist and musician hailing from Beirut, designs sculptural instruments that redefine traditional musical expression through elements like touch, breath, and motors. His ongoing project, WITHIN (2012–), involves deaf artists investigating the tactile aspects of sound. In 2019, Atoui's exhibition, The Wave, at Okayama Art Summit featured automated instruments that generated metallic sounds. During a 2015 performance at the Berkeley Art Museum, he utilized nine Meyer Sound subwoofers to create resonances within the space. Currently, his solo exhibition, The Whisperers, is displayed at Chantal Crousel in Paris until 20 November. Drawing inspiration from John Cage and Karlheinz Stockhausen, Atoui emphasizes improvisation and collaborates frequently with non-musicians, viewing all speakers as unique entities with distinct acoustic characteristics.