circle of fire

circle of fire was the title of an intermedia sound art exhibition that was presented over a period of four weeks from November 7 to December 7, 2025, at the GELBEN PALAIS premises at Richard-Wagner Str. 25 in Cologne. The GELBE PALAIS is a cultural institution for exhibitions and concerts of visual arts, which are presented in the context of current and socially relevant topics. The GELBE PALAIS is sponsored by the Martin-Lantzsch-Nötzel Art Foundation. The exhibition reflected thoughts and emotions about a world order in transition in multi-channel sound spaces and sound and light objects, posing questions such as: "Is it possible for us to open ourselves to a new and more loving relationship with ourselves, with other people, and with nature? Divided into five sound spaces, the exhibition invited visitors to encounter themes of human existence and to reflect on themselves in relation to their own emotions, behaviors, preferences, and values.

In the first room, "the Room of Heartfire", a 6.1-channel spatial composition was presented, staged with text mirror projections.

In the second room of the exhibition, a multi-channel soundscape with hanging mirror drops and floor, entitled “tears within raindrops” shards as a place of dissolution and mourning.

The third location was a corridor, representing the “path of transformation.” Here, 25 transistor radios played a basic composition that they received via a specially installed FM transmitter.

In addition, a sound mobile was installed here with various everyday objects whose touches and collisions were acoustically combined with the basic sound of the radio receivers. The mobile represents a place of encounter and confrontation with personal conceptions and expectations.

Using two telephones positioned in the hallway, visitors could choose, depending on the situation, to listen to a female or male voice in the form of an acoustic I Ching oracle, which addressed messages of self-love and nourishment to the respective listener.

Below the corridor, in the basement, connected by a spiral staircase, was “little creature,” the place of the subconscious. A two-channel light and sound composition that could only be viewed by looking “down,” but was acoustically connected to the path of transformation.

In the fifth room, "the place of contemplation", visitors could experience a sound space with four hanging globes made of natural materials, from which a composition of recordings of the elements wind, water, earth, and fire, as well as animal voices and microorganisms, could be heard. On the floor was a monitor displaying real-time images from a surveillance camera pointed at the sky.

In addition to the opening on November 7 and the closing on December 7, which featured a participatory artist talk in dialogue with media artist Prof. Knapp, two live performances by American voice and sound artist David Moss were also offered as part of the exhibition.

In addition, performative stagings of “the acorn conversations,” the duo project by David Moss and Frank Schulte, were also presented in a supplementary event in Lippstadt as part of the Night of Light Art.

A multi-page accompanying brochure was created to communicate the content of the works.