The Tamesis
Artist Tarek Atoui has been selected as the next artist to receive a Modern Commission commission in Tate Modern’s Turbine Hall. His exhibition at the Museum of London opens on October 13 and runs until April 2027. Nabila Abdel Nabi and Dina Akhmadeeva, Tate Modern’s curators of international art, will curate the commission.
The Beirut-born, Paris-based artist is known for creating complex installations that include specially designed musical instruments, often in collaboration with other artists, composers or manufacturers. These objects often contain glass, water or ceramics and are activated by touch, breath or motors. To create these installations, Atoui conducted in-depth research into the history of music from around the world.
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He has had solo exhibitions at SMAK in Ghent, Luma Westbau in Zurich, Australian Museum of Contemporary Art in Sydney and Art Sonje Center in Seoul. He is the 2022 recipient of the Suzanne Deal Booth/FLAG Arts Foundation Award. His work has been shown in major exhibitions such as the 2023 and 2021 Gwangju Biennale, the 2022 Istanbul Biennale, the 2020 Sydney Biennale, the 2019 Venice Biennale, the 2014 Berlin Biennale, and the 2020 “Reverb: Sound in Art” exhibition. Hayward Gallery, London.
“Tareq Atoui has captivated international audiences with his boundary-pushing approach to sound,” Catherine Wood, interim director of Tate Modern, said in a statement. “Integrating music, technology, sculpture and performance, he is a truly interdisciplinary artist whose work references current social, historical and political realities. Architectural space plays an important role in Atoui’s ongoing research into sound and vibration, and we can’t wait to see how he engages with audiences in the public spaces of Tate Modern’s iconic Turbine Hall.”
For the first time in 2000, Tate Modern has commissioned a new work for its Turbine Hall space. Hyundai Motor Company has been a sponsor of the show since 2014 and last year extended its support for the project until 2036. Recent commissions include Mire Lee (2024), El Anatsui (2023), Cecilia Vicuña (2022), Anicka Yi (2021) and Kara Walker (2019); Máret Ánne Sara’s 2025 commission closes on April 12.
