Sonic Acts Biennial 2022: Sound Art

During the second weekend of its 2022 Biennial, from 7 to 9 October, Sonic Acts presents an extensive sound art programme at Het HEM, with a wide range of concerts, transmissions, installations, workshops and field explorations. Resonating with the location’s complex histories, the programme excavates the multiple ecologies and geographies of the inner ear and earth through the reverberations of spatial sound.

Between cavernous walls of the former munitions factory, contaminated soil of the nearby shock forest and docklands of the North Sea Canal, Inner Ear(th) carves out a space for exchange at the unstable border of the natural and artificial. At such meeting points, where vibrations echo off the eardrum, transmitter, object or entity, the Biennial’s programme brings into focus a collective listening practice that explores our capacity to resonate. There will be a number of live performances and presentations at Het HEM during the weekend, and Inner Ear(th) also marks the return of a collaboration with INA GRM, developing their radical sound diffusion system the Acousmonium for Het HEM. Having last presented the Acousmonium three years ago at Sonic Acts Festival 2019 in Paradiso, this iteration adapts to the sonic properties of Het HEM’s sprawling industrial structure across three days. In addition to the live acts, Inner Ear(th) features an array of sound art installations, positioned both inside the building and surrounding terrain. Also during the weekend, LAG, an ongoing and open DIY broadcasting camp, will host workshops and a 54-hour collaborative live transmission.

Featuring performances and works from Aho Ssan • Ailbhe Nic Oireachtaigh • Anthea Caddy • Arnaud Rivière • Beatriz Ferreyra • Ben Bertrand • Bernard Pamegiani • Martin Pietuszewski • Dania • Félicia Atkinson • François Bayle • Hüma Utku • Iannis Xenakis • Jaap Vink • Jessica Ekomane • John Grzinich • Jules Negrier • Lance Laoyan • Leila Bordreuil • Maria Komarova • Matthias Puech • Michèle Bokanowski • Music Research Strategies and Dirar Kalash Nicole L’Huillier • Nina Garcia • Olivia Block • pantea, u-matic and telematique • PLF (Freya Brandhi, Lukas König and Peter Kutin) • Farida Amadou • Samson Young • Soundcamp • Tarek Atoui

Sonic Acts Biennial 2022
For almost three decades, Sonic Acts has sought to celebrate new developments in electronic and digital artforms. Taking place throughout October, Sonic Acts Biennial 2022 is staged across various locations, interweaving three weekends of exhibition openings, performances and lectures that will be accompanied by in/outdoor sound installations, artist presentations, workshops, excursions and more events yet to be announced.

Tickets
Weekend tickets for Inner Ear(th) are now available for €40. This Weekend Pass grants access to the Sonic Acts public programme at Het HEM, as well as the exhibition at W139 during the weekend of 7–9 October. Access is subject to capacity. For some programmes, additional reservation may be required due to limited capacity – reservation details will be provided closer to the event. Students and Stadspas-holders can activate a 20% discount with the promo codes STUDENT and STADSPAS. Please bring a valid student ID card or Stadspas on entry.

Day tickets for each of the programmes will be made available later this summer, as well as individual event tickets closer to the biennial.