NOBA Nordic Baltic contemporary art platform

The Garden of Branching Sounds focuses on the twists and turns of time and space associated with experiencing sound and music. The heart and engine of the exhibition is the surround sound mixer or Linkispace built by Timo Toots, which can be used to select and move sounds inspired by imaginary places created by Aivar Tõnso in the sculptural speaker forest in the “garden” (a total of 15 separate channels). Eike Eplik's sculptures and Tencu videos enrich the visual palace of the garden. However, the biggest role in shaping the whole atmosphere is the exhibition visitor's room, which makes a choice about the sounds moving in the room and their trajectory.

The idea of ​​the exhibition started with Aivar Tõnso’s desire to combine the virtual data format “link” created by Timo Toots with the theme of spatial sound in the interest of the Üle Heli festival. The surround sound mixer “Linkispace”, built by Timo to use “links”, allows sounds to be moved around the room in layers and fused together. Through such an interactive approach, it is possible to better perceive and understand the experience of surround sound, and at least get rid of thinking in a stereo format that is deeply embedded in the field of music for us. It is also possible to get rid of the spatially strictly defined relationship between the performer and the audience by taking advantage of the opportunity to move within the sound work arising from the gallery environment instead of listening to it from one point.


If in music the passage of sound is rather related to time, then in the case of spatial sound and gallery space the spatial dimension becomes important. Jorge Luis Borges’ short story “The Garden of Branching Roads” focuses on time in a hidden form, being through various labyrinthine twists and turns of time and space. While in stories one usually chooses one path in the face of alternatives, Borges’s literary garden alludes to the simultaneous existence of different futures and different times, which in turn multiply and branch out. This is how the “Garden of Branching Sounds” lies in the potential-spatial experience to broaden the musical sense of time.


Artists of the exhibition: Timo Toots, Aivar Tõnso, Eike Eplik and Tencu Graphic designer Jaan Evart Technical installation assistance Hannes Einpaul Curator of the exhibition: Aivar Tõnso


NB! During the exhibition, new soundtracks created by Sander Saarmets, Mihkel Tomberg and Katrin Enn will be added. Also indirectly related to the exhibition is the audiovisual cinema concert “Experiments with the Horizon” taking place at the Electricity Theater on 21.02 at 18:00, where some artists related to the exhibition can be seen and heard in a live performance.

Supporters: Kultuurkapital and the city of Tartu

Gallery name: Tartu Art House Big Hall

Address: Vanemuise 26, Tartu

Opening hours: Mon, Wed-Sun 12:00 - 18:00

Open: 23.01.2021 - 21.02.2021