The exhibition, by artist and composer Tarek Atoui, combines sculpture, performance, music, technology, and social research to create environments where sound is experienced physically. The installation features custom-built wind instruments, percussion, electronics, and sculptural objects, designed to connect earth and sky.
Within the Turbine Hall, a metal karnai from Uzbekistan is complemented by two 3D-printed horns. Suspended elements include drum skins, gongs, horns, and long textiles woven through bamboo and sheng mouth organs from China and Southeast Asia, with wind channelled by a computer-controlled motor. The space is designed to encourage visitors to engage with the relationship between sound, materials, architecture, and bodies.
Culminating over two decades of experimentation, Atoui collaborated with architecture firm Arthur Mamou-Mani for the 3D-printed horns and Satoshi Kondo, designer for ISSEY MIYAKE, for the textiles. These textiles are coated with conductive paint, generating bass tones as they react to wind and humidity, sampled and played back as part of the evolving composition.
Throughout its six-month run, the Turbine Hall will host live sound-based performances by a network of local and international musicians, further developing the sonic experience.
The annual Hyundai Commission, now in its 11th year, is a significant partnership between Tate and Hyundai Motor, committed until 2036. It provides artists with a platform to interpret the vast industrial space, resulting in memorable artworks.
Hyundai Commission: Tarek Atoui: Hold is supported by the Tarek Atoui Supporters Circle and Tate Americas Foundation, with production support from Mamou Mani and FabPub, and technical support from Meyer Sound. The commission is curated by Nabila Abdel Nabi and Dina Akhmadeeva, produced by Nancy Cooper, with the performance programme produced by Demelza Watts.
The exhibition runs from 13 October 2026 to 11 April 2027 at Tate Modern, Bankside, SE1 9TG. Admission is free, with opening hours from 10.00–18.00 daily, extending to 21:00 on Fridays and Saturdays.
