MOMENTUM 13 explores the sonic possibilities of Moss and Jeløy in Norway with 'Between/Worlds: Resonant Ecologies'

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

Join us in this transformative exploration of sound, art, and ecology. For updates, visit here or follow us on Instagram.

Between/Worlds: Resonant Ecologies will take place from June 14 to October 12, 2025 at Galleri F 15 in Moss, Norway. It is the first biennale led by the newly appointed director of Galleri F 15 and MOMENTUM, Lise Pennington.

Media enquiries
International: Amanda Kelly and Vanessa Saraceno, Pickles PR
Norway: Ann Kristin Traaen, Galleri F 15

Media kit

Editors’ notes

About the curator
Morten Søndergaard is an internationally acclaimed sound art curator and professor of sound and media art at Aalborg University, Denmark, who works with sound in transdisciplinary, creative, theoretical, and curatorial settings. Previously a curator at the Museum of Contemporary Art in Roskilde, Denmark (1998–2008), he has curated numerous exhibitions and archives of sound art internationally, including at ZKM in Karlsruhe, Germany; Kiasma in Helsinki, Finland; Rupertinum in Salzburg and Ars Electronica in Linz, Austria; FILE in Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; Eyebeam in New York, USA; Utzon Center in Aalborg, Aarhus Kunsthal, and Struer City of Sound, Denmark. He is the co-founder of the conference series POM Politics of Machines (since 2018); ISACS–Sound Art Curating Series (2011–2017); and RE:SOUND (since 2019). Søndergaard has also published several books, chapters, and journal articles exploring the cultures, histories and curation of artistic practices at the intersection of media, technology, and sound.

About MOMENTUM 13: Between/Worlds: Resonant Ecologies
Taking place from June 14 to October 12, 2025, the 13th edition of the Nordic Biennale MOMENTUM is titled Between/Worlds: Resonant Ecologies and 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.

About MOMENTUM
The MOMENTUM biennale was established in 1998 and is organised and produced by Galleri F 15 in Moss, Norway. For over two decades, MOMENTUM has consistently supported compelling curatorial vision and operated as a platform for exploring the exhibition format, both in the Nordic context and with an international perspective.

Previous editions
MOMENTUM 1 – Pakkhus, 1998, curated by Lars Bang Larsen, Daniel Birnbaum, and Atle Gerhardsen
MOMENTUM 2 – Park, 2000, curated by Ina Blom, Jonas Ekeberg, Jacob Fabricius, and Paula Toppila
MOMENTUM 3 – Momentum 2004, 2004, curated by Caroline Corbetta and Per Gunnar Tverbakk
MOMENTUM 4 – Try Again. Fail Again. Fail Better., 2006, curated by Annette Kierulf and Mark Sladen
MOMENTUM 5 – Favoured Nations, 2009, curated by Lina Džuverović and Stina Högkvist
MOMENTUM 6 – Imagine Being Here Now, 2011, curated by Markús Þór Andrésson, Theodor Ringborg, Aura Seikkula, Christian Skovbjerg Jensen, and Marianne Zamecznik
MOMENTUM 7 – Dare 2 Love Yourself and Six Impossible Things Before Breakfast, 2013, curated by Erlend Hammer (D2LY) and Power Ekroth (SITBB)
MOMENTUM 8 – Tunnel Vision, 2015, curated by Jonatan Habib Engqvist, Birta Guðjónsdóttir, Stefanie Hessler, and Toke Lykkeberg
MOMENTUM 9 – Alienation, 2017, curated by Ulrika Flink, Ilari Laamanen, Jacob Lillemose, Gunhild Moe, and Jón B. K. Ransu
MOMENTUM 10 – The Emotional Exhibition, 2019, curated by Marti Manen with assistant curator Anne Klontz
MOMENTUM 11 – HOUSE OF COMMONS, 2021, curated by Théo-Mario Coppola with associate curator Håkon Lillegraven
MOMENTUM 12 – Together as to Gather, 2023, curated by Tenthaus