This hub, established in 2023 and comprising Tunisian experts from various disciplines, resulted in an in-depth analysis of the territory. This approach made it possible to design an exploratory itinerary combining spatial, auditory, architectural, and olfactory experiments, offering a multidimensional understanding of the Medina. The results of this analysis enabled the development of a methodological roadmap, serving as an operational framework for the artist. This document guided the preparation of the study visit that was conducted in June 2024, providing a strategic and conceptual foundation for the next stage of the artistic residency.

In addition to the historical presentation of the Medina and its various sound potentials, the text in question aims to be practical. It was made available to the artist by offering a multisensory immersive journey, thus inviting them to explore its three main dimensions: the sacred (mosques and zaouias), the residential (traditional houses, oukelas) and the commercial (souks et fondouks). Each reveals a specific spatial and auditory atmosphere, oscillating between living traditions and historical remnants. This journey, which is identified as a captivating exploration through time and senses, invites us to explore these historic alleys, blending cultural, architectural, and social heritage. It highlights the diversity of the religious, social and commercial functions of the Medina, while revealing authentic places where tradition and modernity harmoniously intersect.

Sensory Exploration Phase during Their Study Visit 

Originating from a Latin culture, Larie approached their first immersions in the Medina with a perception shifting between cultural dissonance—particularly regarding communication codes—and a certain familiarity, marked by similarities identified with their home country, Brazil. The artist was quickly struck by the significant contrast between the daytime and nighttime dynamics of the Medina (blending a heterogeneous flow of conviviality, kindness, and calm). To this end, Larie attempts to revive the echo that persists from this morning social bustle. 

In their wanderings—an exercise in collecting sounds par excellence—the artist admits to be particularly sensitive to sounds and textures. The sensory experience presents itself to them as an intense profusion of "layers"—to use their expression—composed of smells, colors, and various sound effects. It is around the people, the inhabitants of the Medina—"what they do, what they want, how they feel" [1] — that the first sound waves started to emerge and take shape. 

The Medina appears to the artist as an arena where a plurality of perceptions confront each other; this urban space is not, according to them, reducible to shops and artisans, but rather draws its vitality from a benevolent interiority of its inhabitants that governs everything in a subtle manner. Indeed, the artist perceives in the inhabitants a resistance to any change stemming from external stimuli (tourist flows, modernity and its artifices, etc.). This is the subject of the emotional catalyst that will dictate, according to the main orientation of "change": both the intense and fragile anchoring of the Medina inhabitants in their roots, challenged by a present that seeks to be increasingly globalized. The meetings conducted as part of the study visit are also crucial for the development of this sound exploration: despite the divergence of the disciplinary fields specific to the specialists encountered (historians, sociologists, etc.), the goal remains, according to them, less about multiplying perspectives and more about seeking possible points of convergence. 

A Residency "Beyond the Walls"

The artwork in progress is rooted in the contrasting explorations of the Medina, swaying between daytime and nighttime dynamics. The artist focused on socially vibrant spaces; while initiating an intergenerational dialogue with the women of the Medina, whose recorded voices reflect the transformations of the territory over time. The collected narratives from Rim Rouissi (50 years old), Moufida Bouslami (60 years old), and Asma Zarrouk (18 years old) 

highlight the coexistence of traditional practices, such as ancestral culinary preparations, and marked sociocultural changes. These interviews intertwine with sound experiments, particularly spontaneous performances, such as folk songs. The work also incorporates an influence from Stambeli [2], enriching its sound composition with a specific cultural and historical dimension. This process results in a harmonic layering of vocal and sound perspectives, reflecting the diversity and complexity of the Medina as a territory in transition. The approach adopted by Larie places us in a universe very similar to that of Janet Cardiff [3], known for her installations and immersive sonic journeys. Indeed, just like Larie, Cardiff explores multi-sensory recordings to overlay sound and narrative layers in specific spaces. This approach of sound fragmentation and recomposition draws on the trilogy: memory, place, and collective experience. However, Larie stands out with their live performance that accompanies the soundtrack. 

Reflective Notes on the Collective Sound Artwork/Performance Change∞ 

The sound performance presented by the end of the residency took the shape of a harmonious orchestration of multiple sound and visual layers, of which the artist was the creator, director, music producer, and performer [4].  

From a sonic and visual perspective, the work reflects a rather pronounced narrative dimension. According to Larie's statement: " the narration of this piece was meant to guide us through a day spent in the Medina, from sunrise to sunset, highlighting specific aspects and experiences throughout this process." [5] Indeed, the artist invites us to experience a day in the Medina, where we encounter various aspects (social, commercial and religious). The projection [6], a component of the sound performance, thus focuses on elements that are significant factors of change for the inhabitants of the Medina, such as the excessive presence of cats in certain alleys. 

Moreover, the images used oscillate between architectural elements, scenes of daily life, and abstract geometric shapes [7], which are sometimes accompanied by sound effects that evoke the urban and social atmosphere captured during this stroll. The work is punctuated by recordings/testimonials collected from the inhabitants of the Medina, as well as a highly expressive poetic song titled « All Our Yesterdays. »[8]

The artwork hence creates an improbable stage play between what is recorded in advance and what is presented live; namely the vocal performance by Nejia Omrani [9] of a song by Fairouz, echoing Asma's interview about the ruins of the Medina with those of Jerusalem. Larie also intervenes during the performance by reading a lyrical text titled " Murmure ". From a scenographic perspective, this project was presented in the Chapelle of L’Art Rue with white tulle vertically placed throughout the space, through which the projection was fragmented from end to end, thus giving it a volatile atmospheric presence.

Symbolic Dimension 

It is not trivial to perceive in the images projected during the performance, in addition to the sonorities explored, a highlighting of emblematic figures of any immersive experience in the Medina that aims to be such. It is included here, for example, the gates of the medina, the call to prayer, the sound of craftsmen at work, etc. However, according to the artist, the sound remains the main element of this experience, but both (sound and figure) were designed to provide an immersive experience that presents subjects in a way that is both "fun and realistic"—to quote their words, serving as transitory elements moving from intensity to calm, from restlessness to rest, with the visuals being the iconographic base on which the story rests.

Particularity of the Tunisian experience for Larie

Larie recognizes a specificity that distinguishes their artistic experience, particularly as lived in the transitional Tunisian context, namely the certainty of finding the meaning we give to relationships and human connections, which makes things " deeper than they have ever been " according to them. Technically speaking, the work, which was the subject of a fruitful collective effort – in collaboration with local personalities – experienced an unparalleled synergy compared to their previous experiences in the field. Thus, this project is conceived as a true " visual and sound narrative " created thanks to a group work, where the artist frees themselves from their central role, to act as a humble witness to the various sounds collected.

[1] Excerpt from the artist's interview with L’Art Rue during their study visit in June 2024. 

[2] Stambeli is a Tunisian music-therapy ritual, introduced by communities of slaves and migrants from sub-Saharan Africa. It combines music, dance and trance to invoke spirits, bringing psychic and spiritual healing. Nowadays, it is threatened with disappearance. 

[3] An emblematic work The Forty Part Motet (2001), where she reinterprets a choral piece by Thomas Tallis through arranging 40 speakers in a circle, each showcasing an individual voice. 

[4] The entire creation process of the work, as well as the residency, were accompanied by Zeineb Cherif, thus projecting the artist's external perspective. 

[5] Statements collected from an online questionnaire exchanged with the artist. The rest of the quotes come from the same source. 

[6] Zeineb Kaabi was in charge of directing and creating the video projection during the final presentation. 

[7] The illustrations added to the video projection during the final presentation were developed by Farouk K-Moon. 

[8] The poem "All our yesterdays" was written by Shems Guellouz, later joined by the author-composer Raoudha Abdallah with Oud accompaniment and Asma Zarrouk on vocals. Studio rehearsal sessions were conducted for integration into the final work. 

[9] Voice recording/interview and live performance.