Tate Modern’s Turbine Hall is currently hosting a new sound-based installation by Lebanese artist Tarek Atoui, who was awarded the 25th Hyundai Commission. The work, titled "Hold," opened in late September and will remain on display until April 11. The installation features a large-scale multisensory environment combining traditional and contemporary instruments, sculptural elements, and interactive sound technologies designed to resonate within the hall’s vast architectural space.
Atoui, based in Paris, has created a complex array of musical devices including ancient Asian sheng pipes, Uzbek ceremonial horns scaled up with 3D printing, Korean drums crafted by master artisans, and a specially designed electrically conductive fabric developed in collaboration with designers Satoshi Kondo and Issey Miyake. The fabric, coated with graphite paint, functions as an analogue oscillator, generating sound according to air currents in the space. Large, fissured stone slabs embedded with speakers form part of the installation’s tactile sound experience, allowing visitors to physically feel vibrations by sitting or leaning against them.
The artist’s approach was informed by extensive research into acoustics and the environmental conditions of the Turbine Hall. Atoui draws on his diverse practice, which bridges music, visual art, and education, and incorporates influences ranging from experimental electronic music to traditional sound cultures. He also emphasizes improvisation and collaboration, inviting over 40 musicians to engage with the installation during its run, allowing the soundscape to evolve dynamically.
Reactions to Atoui’s installation have varied. Some describe the work as an innovative fusion of sound and sculpture, evoking an immersive, almost mystical urban soundscape that invites visitors to lose themselves in its layered textures and shifting sonic environment. The combination of visual complexity and abstract sound has been praised for creating a rich sensory experience that can be both soothing and thought-provoking.
Conversely, some critics argue that the installation falls short of the Turbine Hall’s history of impactful, monumental art. Descriptions range from finding the aesthetics cluttered and mannered to labeling it as a missed opportunity to generate the kind of large-scale spectacle previously seen in the hall’s acclaimed commissions. There is concern that recent works, including Atoui’s, emphasize conceptual sound art at the expense of visual presence and public appeal, resulting in experiences that feel detached and less immediately engaging.
The Turbine Hall itself has been the subject of ongoing debate about its role within Tate Modern and the wider contemporary art scene. Earlier landmark installations, such as Olafur Eliasson’s “The Weather Project” and Doris Salcedo’s “Shibboleth,” set high standards for memorable large-scale experiences. Since then, some visitors and commentators have called for the space to return to commissions that combine scale, spectacle, and accessibility.
Looking ahead, the Turbine Hall is scheduled next year to host a transformation inspired by David Hockney’s stage designs, turning the space into an immersive opera house to mark the artist’s 90th birthday. This forthcoming project is anticipated to bring a renewed focus on visual and musical experience, reflecting ongoing efforts to balance innovation with audience engagement in one of the world’s most prominent public art venues.