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Atoui, a Franco-Lebanese artist and composer (b.1980), is known for his boundary-pushing approach to sound. His practice involves more than simply creating music\u2014it\u2019s about fostering human interaction through sound. \u201cSound has the power to reveal stories and connect people across time and space,\u201d Atoui explains. \u201cIt\u2019s not just about what you hear\u2014it\u2019s about what you feel and how it brings people together.\u201d<\/p>\n
Atoui\u2019s fascination with the trance-inducing music form tarab<\/em> began early in his career with Revisiting Tarab<\/em> (2010\u20132013), an exploration of classical Arab music\u2019s Renaissance period. This early work, developed in collaboration with the AMAR Foundation in Lebanon, laid the foundation for At-T\u0101riq<\/em>, where Atoui continues to explore the emotional, cultural, and communal power of sound. The name At-T\u0101riq<\/em>, meaning \u201cthe morning star\u201d or \u201cthe nightcomer,\u201d reflects the exhibition\u2019s themes of journey, tradition, and discovery. Drawing from his residency in C\u00f3rdoba in 2023, Atoui collaborated with experimental musicians Zi\u00far (Berlin), Susie Ibarra (New York\/Berlin), and Nancy Mounir (Cairo) to create a sonic composition that seamlessly blends traditional Amazigh and Arab music with contemporary improvisation and electronic experimentation.<\/p>\n Reflecting on his creative process, Atoui shares: \u201cThis project is as much about listening as it is about creating. I spent hours immersed in the archives\u2014concert recordings, poems, and songs of the Amazigh people\u2014absorbing their history and emotion. It was essential to respect these traditions while also pushing their boundaries in collaboration with other artists.\u201d In addition to sound, At-T\u0101riq<\/em> features textiles, pottery, and sonic sculptures crafted by Moroccan artisans. These objects are not mere decorative pieces\u2014they are integral to Atoui\u2019s exploration of the materiality of sound. \u201cEvery material has its own voice,\u201d Atoui says. \u201cStone, bronze, ceramic\u2014they all respond differently to vibration, and that creates new sonic possibilities.\u201d<\/p>\n Education and social connection have always been at the core of Atoui\u2019s artistic philosophy. After studying electroacoustic music at the French National Conservatory of Reims, Atoui realized he wanted to make the knowledge he had gained more accessible to others. \u201cAt a certain point as an artist, you come to realize you don\u2019t just want to create work for exhibitions. You want to bring education into this constellation\u2014what I can teach and, more importantly, what I can learn.\u201d<\/p>\n In conjunction with ARCOmadrid, Atoui will host a live performance featuring traditional musicians from the Atlas Mountains alongside his residency collaborators. This concert will offer audiences a rare opportunity to experience firsthand the fusion of past and present, tradition and innovation.<\/p>\n For Atoui, At-T\u0101riq<\/em> is not just a celebration of sound\u2014it\u2019s a celebration of relationships, memory, and identity. \u201cMusic and sound are living entities,\u201d he reflects. \u201cThey evolve through every conversation, every collaboration, and every act of listening.\u201d At-T\u0101riq<\/em> is more than an exhibition\u2014it\u2019s an invitation to listen, connect, and reflect on the cultural legacies that continue to shape our world. <\/p>\n