The sound of art in the stairwell

On Thursday 30 November, Dean Anne Halvorsen and curator of UiA's art collection Mette-Line Pedersen unveiled a new addition to UiA's portfolio of contemporary art, in the building of the Faculty of Social Sciences. The work ‘The Sound of Falling Objects’ consists of sound and light and can be experienced throughout the stairwell from the basement to the top floor of building H. Artist Tor Einstabland has collaborated with sound designers Erik Ljunggren (Faculty of Fine Arts) and student in electronic music Mia Heilberg on a concept that aims to engage the audience in a situation where they do not expect an art experience.

The installation is the second art project at UiA that uses the stairwell of a department as a form of art gallery.

Sound and light over four floors 

Artist Tor Einstabland says the artwork was demanding to install. 10 speakers have been placed around the stairwell, which spans four floors. 35 different sounds have been put together so that you will never experience the same sound composition twice. The sounds, rhythm and intervals vary, and the sounds continue to evolve and live on. As the name suggests, the sounds are meant to represent falling objects. The impression is also perceived differently depending on which floor you are on. The green animated light transforms the entire stairwell into an installation. When you enter the stairwell, you are in the artwork itself, and the mind will prepare itself for one or more sounds to come.

"The sounds are perceived differently, read differently, and trigger different emotions in us. I hope the artwork will create enthusiasm and movement," says Einstabland.

The exhibition can be experienced on all four floors of building H and consists of both light and sound.

To get all the details in place, he relied on help from UiA's campus service section and sound technicians from the IT division.

"I really appreciate that the university invests in such a site-specific temporary artwork. Everyone who has helped with the technical challenges has said 'I've never done this before.' So here we have truly created something completely new at UiA," he says.

Art in unfamiliar surroundings 

Curator and project initiator Mette-Line Pedersen appreciates the opportunity to curate art for a diverse audience.

"We are lucky at UiA to have many art collections, from Beat art, Koro art to contemporary art, and we can experience art in our everyday work life. In public spaces, art reaches a broader audience than in a gallery. For many, art experiences at UiA are their first encounter with art. It is important to see the potential that already exists in our environment, and the goal is for art to contribute something unique to the place and not merely be decoration. Hopefully, the sound installation will also lead to many creative conversations and discussions in people's daily lives - about what they hear and whether they like it or not," says Pedersen.

The installation is part of an initiative to showcase art in unexpected places at the university. (Credit: Tor Jørund Føreland Pedersen, UiA)

"The project ‘Art in Stairwells’ aims to explore the presentation of art curated in unusual places and, hopefully, provide a positive and unexpected art experience in people's everyday lives, whether working or studying. Experiencing art in this way could also be a health and safety measure; it might encourage people to take the stairs more often than the elevator," she says.

Dean of the Faculty of Social Sciences, Anne Halvorsen, was immediately enthusiastic about the idea and the initiative when she was asked to host the installation.

"As social scientists, we mostly use words, and many words. Features like this provide a different way of experiencing the world; we get a new experience of the space, of sound, and perhaps of each other. I hope it can provide a wow experience for both students and staff who go up and down these stairs," says Halvorsen.

You can get a small impression of the stairwell art on the faculty's Facebook story, but it should also be experienced by visiting the H building.