What does the world’s largest and possibly oldest walnut forest sound like?

In collaboration with the Botanical Garden of the University of Bern (BOGA), we are delighted to present a sound installation by Saodat Ismailova and Mélia Roger (sound artist) in the Steppe House (Steppenhaus). The recordings were made in the Arslanbob forest in southern Kyrgyzstan.

Since 2022, Ismailova has travelled repeatedly to this remote region, where communities have lived in close relation to the forest and its harvest for generations. The site’s enduring associations with mysticism and hallucinogenic effects provide Ismailova with a point of entry into the complex political histories and contested narratives of Central Asia, which also inform her solo exhibition at Kunsthalle Bern.

Every two hours, on the hour (8/10/12/14/16), between 8 am and 5 pm, visitors can experience the unique fusion of the soundscapes of the Arslanbob forest and BOGA’s Steppe House.

Address
Botanical Garden of the University of Bern
Altenbergrain 21
3013 Bern

The program is made possible by Burgergemeinde Bern.