Neil Leonard's Matanzas Sound Map Turns Sound into Place at Tate Modern The Berklee professor's immersive installation transports visitors to Matanzas, Cuba, through layered sound, video, and sculpture.
By
Daniel Pesquera
March 21, 2025
Matanzas Sound Map on display at Tate Modern
Tate / Reece Straw
The Tate Modern is featuring Matanzas Sound Map, a large-scale multimedia installation by Neil Leonard, artistic director of the Berklee Interdisciplinary Arts Institute, and renowned visual artist Mar a Magdalena Campos-Pons. Running from March through October, the piece is part of the Tate collection and is installed in the East Tank, a former oil tank now repurposed as a gallery for live art, performance, film, and video.
Inspired by the vibrant sounds of Cuba's Matanzas province, Matanzas Sound Map blends multichannel audio, video projections, and glass sculptures to immerse visitors in the region's rich sonic and cultural environment. Leonard has spent over 30 years recording the area's natural and human ecosystems, capturing everything from folkloric music to the ambient sounds of markets, rivers, and estuaries. He and Campos-Pons launched the project in 2015, incorporating hundreds of new recordings, including interviews with community members, into a deeply layered listening experience.
I am deeply honored and excited to have the Matanzas Sound Map project exhibited at the Tate Modern, said Leonard. This was an extremely collaborative endeavor that involved speaking to and listening with dozens of people in the community, including pedestrians, artists, and musicians. We listened to things together and recorded sounds that they heard and made in their daily life. Visitors to the exhibit will share in a collective listening experience as well, as they are immersed in the sonic landscape of Matanzas, and I think the layers of collective listening experiences permeating this work are very powerful.
Neil Leonard
Image by Matthew Guillroy
Leonard refers to this deep engagement with place and sound as sonic cartography. The resulting composition plays through nine speakers encircling visitors, cycling through loops of environmental sounds, song, speech, and ethereal electronic textures. More than 350 audio clips have been edited, mixed, and mastered, with many reconfigured or resurrected from archived recordings specifically for the Tate installation, designed to accentuate the cavernous acoustics of the East Tank.
This new showing reflects Neils profound understanding of the unique acoustic and architectural elements of the building and beautifully responds to the visual and auditory dynamics of the space, said Michael Wellen, senior curator of international art at Tate Modern. The result is a dramatic blend of sculpture, video, and sonic art that brings to life the rich cultures and histories of Matanzas, Cuba, while also immersing visitors in the atmospheric drama of the building in ways never done before.
Originally commissioned for the Documenta 14 contemporary art exhibition, Matanzas Sound Map debuted in Athens, Greece, in 2017. In addition to its sonic elements, the installation showcases striking visual works by Campos-Pons, including cast and blown glass sculptures, as well as environmental art composed of handmade paper and materials sourced from coconuts. The project also features contributions from legendary rumba and folkloric artist Raphael Navarro, Latin Grammy-nominated singer Ana P rez, and members of the renowned Cuban rumba ensemble Los Mu equitos de Matanzas. For the first iteration of the work, Leonard collaborated with Berklee alumni Joe Branciforte BM '07, Nassos Vynios BM '94, and Nikhil Singh BM '17, who assisted with mixing and mastering.
For me, what makes the piece moving is that it is all organically generated original recordings, said Leonard. I talk with my students about how critical it is to carefully listen to the people you are collaborating with, and how we need to create a space where different voices can have input as to what we listen to and how we listen to it. From my perspective as an outsider, building this cross-cultural bridge was critical for the success of the project.
Leonard's work has been featured in major museums worldwide. In 2019, the Williams College Museum of Art exhibited his piece Sonance for the Precession, coinciding with his tenure as an artist-in-residence, during which he taught two courses in electronic music.
Related Categories
News
Most Popular
Toto in the recording studio from Yacht Rock: A Dockumentary.
Photograph by Jim Hagopian/HBO
The Best Music Documentaries on Every Streaming Platform Explore groundbreaking music documentaries streaming across Netflix, HBO Max, Disney+, and more. From intimate artist portraits to legendary concert films, discover the stories behind your favorite artists and iconic moments.
Latest
A still from Ava Della Pietras music video for Marionette.
Image by Georgia Nerheim
Student Spotlight: Ava Della Pietra The singer-songwriter enrolled in the Harvard-Berklee Joint Studies Program talks about her love of medicine and music, overcoming writers block, and her new single, Marionette.
Berklee Online CEO and co-founder Debbie Cavalier, center, is pictured holding the Julius M. Nolte Award for Extraordinary Leadership-UPCEA's most prestigious honor, given for unusual and extraordinary contributions to the cause of continuing education -flanked by UPCEA Deputy CEO Amy Heitzman, left, and UPCEA Board President Kim Siegenthaler, right, at a ceremony in Denver, Colorado on March 25, 2025.
Image courtesy of Julia Zhogina Photography
Berklee Online CEO Debbie Cavalier Recognized for Extraordinary Leadership Cavalier receives the rare Julius M. Nolte Award from UPCEA.
Students performed at the Gospel Extravagan
North America Stories
26/03/2026
Extron and Audio-Technica have announced that their Design Solutions devices, Ce...
26/03/2026
SPORTEL Asia took place March 24-25 at the Orchard Hotel Singapore, drawing 370 participants representing more than 220 companies from 35 countries. Approximate...
26/03/2026
LTN will demonstrate satellite-to-IP migration solutions for broadcasters, cable networks, MVPDs, and station groups at NAB Show 2026 (Booth W2100).
The C-Ban...
26/03/2026
The Seattle Mariners have partnered with Daktronics to install an upgraded outfi...
26/03/2026
The Esports Foundation (EF) has awarded National Team Partner status to organizations and individuals across more than 100 countries and territories for the Esp...
26/03/2026
Telestream has announced expanded integration between its Vantage workflow platf...
26/03/2026
FOR-A Corporation has announced a partnership with Nippon TV and NVIDIA to distr...
26/03/2026
CBS Sports and the WNBA have expanded their partnership through a new long-term, multiplatform rights agreement. CBS Sports will feature up to 20 regular-season...
26/03/2026
Zac Brown Band will star in the Sunday Night Baseball show open on NBC and Peacock, NBC Sports announced. The open was filmed at American Family Field, home of ...
26/03/2026
Major League Baseball opens the 2026 season with nationally televised games across multiple media partners. Fans can visit MLB.com/Watch for a complete schedule...
26/03/2026
DIRECTV has announced an agreement to carry nine new MLB-operated team channels, covering the Cincinnati Reds, Detroit Tigers (Detroit SportsNet), Kansas City R...
26/03/2026
Nationals.TV, the Washington Nationals' local broadcast channel, is now avai...
26/03/2026
Starting Thursday, March 26, MLB.TV will be available on the ESPN App, giving fans access to more than 2,000 out-of-market regular season games. Fans can also r...
26/03/2026
By Matt Klein
Hello to everyone reading this - whether you're a current YEP, HPA member, or just YEP-curious. I'm Matt Klein, one of the co-chairs of t...
26/03/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
26/03/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
26/03/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
26/03/2026
28 participating companies, from start-ups to blue-chips, lead the UK Group as part of the GREAT Britain and Northern Ireland presence across all the Halls at N...
26/03/2026
Arkona Unveils BLADE//planner and Major Usability Enhancements at NAB 2026
Brie Clayton March 26, 2026
0 Comments
New graphical configuration tool and...
26/03/2026
Bitfocus showcases complete control at NAB Show 2026
Brie Clayton March 26, 2026
0 Comments
Continuing development drives advances in security, availa...
26/03/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
26/03/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
26/03/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
26/03/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
26/03/2026
Nevion introduces powerful new Panel Builder to enhance VideoIPath broadcast con...
26/03/2026
2026 Oscar Nominated Films Powered by Blackmagic Design
Brie Clayton March 25, 2026
0 Comments
DaVinci Resolve Studio used on 27 of this year's no...
26/03/2026
Leader to present full suite of advanced Test & Measurement solutions at NAB Sho...
26/03/2026
Boston Conservatory to Present New England and Collegiate Premiere of Groundbrea...
26/03/2026
Back to All News
Have a Wish Worth Dying For? Netflix's First Korean YA Hor...
26/03/2026
Back to All News
The Truthers, Starring Jose Coronado and St phanie Magnin, Pre...
26/03/2026
Editor's note: This post is part of Into the Omniverse, a series focused on ...
26/03/2026
That gaming backlog won't clear itself - GeForce NOW is here to help. Stream the latest titles straight from the cloud across a variety of devices.
This we...
25/03/2026
Live match directors Sarah Cheadle (Sky Sports), Rob Levi (TNT Sports), and Andrew Swift (BBC Sport) sit down with the Premier League's Rachel Nightingale t...
25/03/2026
The senior from Upstate New York is manning the mic while also interning for the athletic department's sports-information team
In the live-sports-video ind...
25/03/2026
Synamedia has announced ContentArmor Edge Watermarking, a server-side solution t...
25/03/2026
SES has announced meoSphere, a medium Earth orbit (MEO) satellite network targeted for operation by 2030. The first phase will pair SES-developed software-defin...
25/03/2026
TVU Networks is working with Reuters on a phased migration from satellite to a c...
25/03/2026
Nielsen has announced three senior appointments. Seth Ladetsky has been named Head of Global Sports. Trevor Fellows will lead Nielsen's advertiser and agenc...
25/03/2026
Anoki and Amagi have launched In-Scene Ads powered by Anoki ContextIQ across Amagi's portfolio of in-content ad formats for Free Ad-supported Streaming TV (...
25/03/2026
Arkona Technologies will announce a series of enhancements to its BLADE//runner platform at NAB 2026 (Booth C.1808). The updates focus on usability and workflow...
25/03/2026
Daktronics has installed two tower displays and a video wall in the Lexus Club at Petco Park in San Diego ahead of the 2026 season.
Continuing to improve the ...
25/03/2026
MultiDyne Video & Fiber Optic Systems is celebrating its 50th anniversary as NAB Show 2026 approaches. The company was founded in 1976 by Vincent Jachetta, an N...
25/03/2026
IPC, a provider of integrated communication solutions, will make its NAB 2026 de...
25/03/2026
Live production categories were led by NBC, FOX, and ESPN's NFL coverage...
25/03/2026
The Atlanta Braves and Spectrum have announced a multiyear distribution agreemen...
25/03/2026
(L-R) Charlie Tyrell and Daniel Roher attend The AI Doc: Or How I Became An Apocaloptimist Premiere during the 2026 Sundance Film Festival at The Ray Theatre ...
25/03/2026
L3Harris Technologies and RFTEQ Pty Ltd signed a memorandum of understanding to ...
25/03/2026
L3Harris delivers combat-ready Torpedo Tube Launch and Recovery system, which deploys and retrieves Iver4 900 autonomous underwater vehicles through submarine t...
25/03/2026
The company expands leadership team under Chief Revenue Officer Amilcar Perez
S...
Neil Leonard's Matanzas Sound Map Turns Sound into Place at Tate Modern The Berklee professor's immersive installation transports visitors to Matanzas, Cuba, through layered sound, video, and sculpture.
