Julian Rieken

Julian Rieken is an artist, curator, researcher and educator working at the intersection of experimental sound, artistic research and ecological, social and political action. Guided by modes of collaboration, conviviality, and embodied inquiry, he composes resonant environments, assemblies and exhibtions that respond to contemporary urgencies while invoking speculative, counter-hegemonic imaginaries. He interrelates sonic experiences with sensory narratives, gentle gesturing and poetic storytelling. Emerging as performative rituals, walks, interventions, installations and experimental radio, his practice is grounded in listening-with and listening-otherwise – modes of attunement that cultivate relational, situated and more-than-human forms of ecological empthay and agency.

He is a founding member of SONIC TOMORROW, was the artistic director of the IMPULS Festival and Forum for Contemporary Music Leipzig (FZML) from 2020 to 2024 and curatorial assistant at the Basel Academy of Art and Design from 2012 to 2019. He is the current fellow at Residenties in Utrecht, part of the Art Praxis MA at the Dutch Art Institute, Organismo | Art in Applied Critical Ecologies at TBA21–Academy and Museo Nacional Thyssen-Bornemisza as well as the Postnatural Independent Program at the Institute for Postnatural Studies in Madrid, Spain.

His artistic and curatorial work has been presented at Academy of Arts Berlin, Basel Academy of Art and Design, Bauhaus Museum Dessau, Botanical Garden Leipzig, Cashmere Radio, European Media Art Festival Osnabrück, Federal Environmental Agency Dessau, Floating University Berlin, Gallery for Contemporary Art Leipzig, Gaudeamus Festival Utrecht, Heidelberg Festival, Hyperwerk, IMPULS Festival, John Cage Organ Foundation Halberstadt, MKH Biennial for Contemporary Art, Radio Kapitał, Radio Relativa, Radio Alhara, Sanatorium of Sound, Struer Tracks Biennial, Techne Sphere Leipzig, Thyssen-Bornemisza National Museum Madrid, and others.