Neil Leonard's Matanzas Sound Map Brings Immersive Sonic Cartography to Tate Modern's East Tank Blending field recordings, video projections, and glass sculptures, the installation immerses visitors in the sonic landscapes of Matanzas, Cuba.
By
Daniel Pesquera
March 21, 2025
Matanzas Sound Map on display at Tate Modern in 2025.
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.
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
Matanzas Sound Map on display at Tate Modern in 2025.
Tate / Reece Straw
Neil Leonard's Matanzas Sound Map Brings Immersive Sonic Cartography to Tate Modern's East Tank Blending field recordings, video projections, and glass sculptures, the installation immerses visitors in the sonic landscapes of Matanzas, Cuba.
Boston Conservatory at Berklee Presents the Tony Award-Winning Musical Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812 The musical, adapted from Tolstoy's War and Peace, will be performed at the Calderwood Pavilion.
Berklees Music Inclusion Ensemble elevates the unique artistry of musicians with disabilities.
Elizabeth Friar
Berklee's Trailblazing Music Inclusion Ensemble Debuts at Berklee Performance Center Led by Adrian Anantawan and Gaelynn Lea, this free concert highlights the talents of disabled musicians from across the Berklee community.
Read All
Subscribe The latest sounds, stories,
North America Stories
09/05/2025
AJA I/O Gear: The Heart of Broadcast Solutions' VEGO Mobile Editing Solution
Brie Clayton May 8, 2025
0 Comments
When working remotely on broadcas...
09/05/2025
What do they teach in an Advanced Adobe After Effects Course?
Roland Kahlenberg May 8, 2025
0 Comments
There aren't many advanced After Effects co...
09/05/2025
Larry Jordan Sits with Trevor Morgan of OpenDrives at NAB 2025
Brie Clayton May 8, 2025
0 Comments
Trevor Morgan, COO of OpenDrives, shares how the co...
09/05/2025
Berklee Popular Music Institute Announces UK Festival Debut and Tour Dates For the first time, BPMI will bring Berklee-affiliated artists and students to the ...
08/05/2025
A sinister fairy infiltrates a desperate family in Kenneth Dagatan's In My Mother's Skin, which premiered at the 2023 Sundance Film Festival. Photo co...
08/05/2025
For skyward-bound operators, training focuses on the unique aspects of flying ISR missions, including the management of onboard surveillance equipment and the e...
08/05/2025
The cable industry has told the Federal Communications Commission it supports the National Association of Broadcasters' proposal to allow broadcasters to us...
08/05/2025
WASHINGTON The Consumer Technology Association has continued its opposition to mandates requiring that NextGen TV/ATSC 3.0 tuners be included in new TV sets, sa...
08/05/2025
TAG Video Systems, the leader in software-based IP end-to-end workflow monitoring, deep probing, and real time visualization, has named Paul Maroni as Vice Pres...
08/05/2025
This year's UK Pavilion in hall 5, once again managed by Tradefair, will provide visitors with the unique opportunity to discuss and be involved in cutting ...
08/05/2025
Rohde & Schwarz will showcase its latest energy-efficient transmitters and 5G Broadcast technologies, designed to support network operators and content provider...
08/05/2025
IRVING, Texas Nexstar Media Group has tapped Bill Nardi as vice president of station operations, responsible for overseeing the day-to-day broadcast operations ...
08/05/2025
SEATTLE LumaTouch is partnering with CNN Academy to improve mobile storytelling techniques and support training across all of CNN Academy's training simulat...
08/05/2025
WASHINGTON The Society of Broadcast Engineers has filed comments with the Federal Communications Commission that support a proposal by the National Association ...
08/05/2025
Senior adviser to the United States Agency for Global Media Kari Lake has announced that One America News Network (OAN) will provide newsfeed services for fre...
08/05/2025
EdMon Expands as AI-Driven Post Production Workflows Gains Traction in Sweden an...
08/05/2025
Using Luma Mattes in Adobe Premiere Pro
Graham Quince May 7, 2025
0 Comments
This very quick tutorial shows you how to take an RGB clip and apply its ...
08/05/2025
OpenDrives Unveils Free Your Data' Initiative with New Astraeus Cloud-Nativ...
08/05/2025
Student Spotlight: Grigori Balasanyan The Armenian composer, who was named Boston Conservatory at Berklees 2025 student commencement speaker, talks about his ...
08/05/2025
May 8th, 2025 Press Materials Available Here
Tribeca Festival 2025 Unveils New Premieres Spanning Film and Music
Slick Rick's Victory with Idris Elba a...
08/05/2025
May 8th, 2025 Press Materials Available Here
Tribeca Festival 2025 Announces Lineup for Inaugural Storytelling Summit
11-Day Industry Event Launches with Tal...
08/05/2025
SVG Sit-Down: Vizrt's Nicholas Jameson on AI in Workflows, Pushing Boundarie...
08/05/2025
Creating Alternative Brand Experiences: Live Sports in the Age of Fortnite, Meta...
08/05/2025
PGA TOUR's David Piccolo: Advanced Graphics and Virtual Production Tools are...
08/05/2025
Tech Focus: Advancing Immersion in Sports Broadcasting with AR and Virtual Produ...
08/05/2025
Back to All News
Now in Production: Comedy Action Film Husbands in Action'...
08/05/2025
Artificial intelligence is helping identify and treat diseases faster with better results for humankind. Natural disasters like wildfires are next.
Fires in th...
08/05/2025
Calling all wiseguys - 2K's acclaimed Mafia franchise is available to stream...
08/05/2025
As AI use cases continue to expand - from document summarization to custom software agents - developers and enthusiasts are seeking faster, more flexible ways t...
07/05/2025
Warsaw, Poland - April 28, 2025 - Nielsen, a global leader in audience measurement, data and analytics, has released its latest March All Screens Video Landscap...
07/05/2025
LONDON Movie fans hoping to save money by waiting until their favorite new films appear on streaming services will have to wait a bit longer now, according to a...
07/05/2025
MECCA, Saudi Arabia Saudi Broadcasting Authority (SBA) has selected Grass Valley to provide a major technology upgrade of its broadcast facility here....
07/05/2025
Sony and Nevion provide guidance on IP network architecture options for live pro...
07/05/2025
Media Pioneer Publishing AG Expands Editorial Capacity
Brie Clayton May 7, 2025
0 Comments
Pioneer 2 boat production environment powered by Blackmagic...
07/05/2025
LONDON Movie fans hoping to save money by waiting until their favorite new films appear on streaming services will have to wait a bit longer now, according to a...
07/05/2025
WASHINGTON The Federal Communications Commission's Media Bureau is seeking public comment on a Petition for Rulemaking from HC2 Broadcasting Holdings asking...
07/05/2025
WASHINGTON Following a decision by U.S. Department of Education to terminate its 2020-2025 Ready To Learn to the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, CPB has in...
07/05/2025
NEW YORK Fox's ad-supported streaming Tubi made a series of product and partnership announcements during IAB NewFronts in New York, including the launch of ...
07/05/2025
MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif. Google Fiber (GFiber) has announced a redesigned app that the company said will simplify how customers set up service, manage devices, and...
07/05/2025
WASHINGTON NASAs on-demand streaming service, NASA+, has launched a FAST (Free Ad-Supported Television) channel on Prime Video....
07/05/2025
NEW YORK The WNET Group, parent company of the PBS station Thirteen, has announced the appointment of Randall T. Decker to senior director, technology, effectiv...
07/05/2025
Atomos announced an executive leadership transition as the Company continues to evolve and expand its strategic focus.
Peter Barber, currently serving as Chie...
07/05/2025
Steve Wagner, Jerry Holway and Robert Orf at the 2024 Scientific and Technical Awards at the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures on Tuesday, April 29, 2025.
The ...
07/05/2025
nxtedition, the Swedish company behind the leading integrated platform for news and program production, and TASCAM, the iconic Japanese manufacturer of professi...
07/05/2025
Signiant is bringing its Camera-Raw-to-Any-Cloud workflow to the UK for the first time at the Media Production & Technology Show 2025 (Booth# M69) with a live d...
07/05/2025
MNC Software Inc., a global leader in software and network solutions tailored to the broadcast and media industry, has appointed Gencom Technology as an officia...
07/05/2025
Rise AV, the award-winning advocacy group championing gender diversity and professional development in the AV sector, is proud to announce 31 mentor-mentee pair...
07/05/2025
Test & measurement innovator, Leader Electronics of Europe, is to bring a selection of its leading products for IP, SDI and hybrid workflow requirements to this...
07/05/2025
The Global Media and Entertainment Talent Manifesto announces that the World Skills Caf will return at IBC2025 with an expanded skills and diversity programme,...
Neil Leonard's Matanzas Sound Map Brings Immersive Sonic Cartography to Tate Modern's East Tank Blending field recordings, video projections, and glass sculptures, the installation immerses visitors in the sonic landscapes of Matanzas, Cuba.
