MOSS.- MOMENTUM, one of the most anticipated events in the Nordic art scene, returns for its 13th edition under the theme Between/Worlds: Resonant Ecologies. Opening on June 14, 2025, the biennale invites audiences to embark on an extraordinary journey of soundscapes and stories, bridging the boundaries of human and non-human worlds. Curated by Morten Søndergaard, MOMENTUM 13 situates itself as a platform for “ultra-local” experiences and transformative engagements with the resonant connections between art, sound, and ecology.
Between/Worlds: Resonant Ecologies positions sound as the pivotal medium to explore the porous boundaries of worlds—human, non-human, and more-than-human. As curator Morten Søndergaard reflects, “What happens when we transcend or transport knowledge, things, humans, bacteria, DNA, nano, and quantum sonically across and between these worlds?” The biennale leverages the concept of the “ultra-local,” opening up new ways of listening, sensing, and imagining the liminal spaces that connect distinct ecologies.
The exhibition draws inspiration from theorists like Donna Haraway, who emphasises the partial, situated nature of knowledge and the tensions between local and global systems: “… local knowledges have…to be in tension with the productive structurings that force unequal translations and exchanges—material and semiotic—within the webs of knowledge and power. Webs can have the property of being systematic, even of being centrally structured global systems with deep filaments and tenacious tendrils into time, space, and consciousness, which are the dimensions of world history” (Haraway, Situated Knowledges, 1988).
Through approximately 40 site-specific projects, MOMENTUM 13 delves into the resonances between ultra-localities in Moss—its cityscapes, forests, fjords, and the island of Jeløy—and their intersections with global ecological and technological phenomena.
Morten Søndergaard, curator of MOMENTUM 13, shares his vision: “Between/Worlds: Resonant Ecologies seeks to unravel the resonant connections that tie human and non-human ecologies. Sound, as a medium, shifts our sensibility—it attunes us to worlds otherwise hidden, invites us to experience the unseen, and propels us beyond human-centric narratives. This is a biennale that prioritises experience, imagination, and the profound momentum of art that vibrates between worlds.”
Lise Pennington, Director of Galleri F 15 and MOMENTUM, adds: “MOMENTUM has always embraced the forefront of contemporary artistic discourse. With Between/Worlds: Resonant Ecologies, we are thrilled to offer audiences an immersive journey where sound becomes a gateway to understanding the complexity of our interconnected realities. The setting of Moss, Jeløy and Galleri F 15 enriches this narrative, where the engaging qualities of sound artworks can be experienced in former industrial areas and the fjord landscapes surrounding the art museum’s manor house.”
A call to listen
MOMENTUM 13 challenges audiences to step into a space of “unprepared listening”—to tune into the resonant ecologies around them, often overlooked or unheard. Whether through the hum of a forest, the crash of waves, or the mechanical rhythms of a city, the biennale offers a profound reminder of art’s capacity to connect us to the intricate, interdependent webs of existence.
Why sound
The theme of sound is not just an artistic choice but a philosophical lens. As Søndergaard notes: “Since the Renaissance, art can rightly be perceived as a humanistic activity. It is the world seen from a human perspective. Sound changes this perspective in three crucial ways. Firstly, there is a shift in sensibility, which in art creates good conditions for a heightened attention to everything that might otherwise have been hidden or forgotten. Secondly, art no longer designates a humanistic world (in the singular), but rather many different worlds. There is thus a kind of dissolution of the perspective of art itself as a primary humanistic activity towards rather identifying the human area as part of an outside world (and vice versa). Art truly moves and vibrates between worlds and these are the resonant ecologies that the 13th edition of the biennale will examine.”
Sites of resonance
The biennale will unfold across a constellation of venues and natural landscapes, each chosen for its resonance with the theme:
• Galleri F 15: The historic heart of MOMENTUM, located on the island of Jeløy, will host installations that reimagine the boundaries of sound and storytelling
–City of Moss: Urban spaces and architectural sites will be transformed into soundscapes, revealing the hidden sonic layers of the city’s identity
• Alby forest and fjord: Nature’s resonances will be amplified through art, connecting visitors to the ecological hum of forests, fjords, and the volcanic island of Jeløy
Sound and sensory highlights
Each of the featured works invites visitors to rethink their relationship with the world through sound and sensory engagement. From immersive sonic installations to participatory listening walks, MOMENTUM 13 will offer a diverse programme that includes:
• Unheard ecologies: Projects that amplify the voices of non-human actors, such as forests, fjords, and microscopic life
• Urban resonances: Works exploring the intersection of urban design and sound, bringing attention to the auditory narratives of the city of Moss
• Technological vibrations: Artworks engaging with cutting-edge media, from quantum acoustics to AI-generated soundscapes
