Bernhard Leitner: Sound Space Sculpture / Hamburger Bahnhof – Museum für Gegenwart, Berlin

During the late 1960s in New York, Austrian architect and artist Bernhard Leitner (born 1938) designed the first sound-space sculpture or architecture – a multi-channel architecture of sound – prior to the advent of the technical possibilities required for its realization. The current exhibition at the Hamburger Bahnhof – Museum für Gegenwart presents the revival of the first sound-space investigations by Bernhard Leitner, realized between 1971 and 1973. What is remarkable is that it’s not a historical reconstruction, but rather a re-inception, on the basis of modern control systems, of the first sound-space-sculpture in the history of the visual arts. Apart from this centerpiece of the show, the exhibition assembles sketches, notations, models, photographs relating to this early field of experimentation. Curator: Prof. Dr. Eugen Blume, Director Hamburger Bahnhof.
Since 1970 Bernhard Leitner has been exhibiting his sound-space objects and sound-space sculptures in the international context. His works have been shown at P.S.1 New York, ZKM Karlsruhe, and documenta 7, among other key venues. Impressions from the opening reception, January 31, 2008.

Update (June 19, 2012): Bernhard Leitner talks about his Sound Suit at Art 43 Basel 2012.

> Right-click (Mac: ctrl-click) this link to download Quicktime video file.

Posted in: art, Berlin, no comment, VernissageTV