Everyone leaves behind traces. These traces need not be physical; they also reside in our memories, translating into our thoughts, behaviours, and future interactions with ourselves, others, and the world around us. Does what remain, remain true? Memories are deceptive. They change, fade, and are reshaped by time, emotions, and our own perception. What we believe to be true can be fragile, and what remains is often not what we expected.
was wahr bleibt | what truth remains explores the fallibility of memories and the traces one leaves behind. As visitors pass through the space, their silhouettes are captured and layered onto a looping video projection, distorting its original narrative. With each repetition, residual images of previous viewers accumulate, merging with those of the present. Over time, this continuous layering distorts the visual memory, raising a central question: Can what remains still be considered true?
ABOUT THE ARTISTS
Joan Tan Jing Wen
(Hochschule für Musik und Tanz Köln)
Joan Tan Jing Wen is a Singaporean composer based in Cologne, Germany. She holds a Bachelor of Music in Composition from the Yong Siew Toh Conservatory of Music and a Master’s in Instrumental Composition from the Hochschule für Musik und Tanz Köln.
In a world where much sensory input is tuned out for the sake of everyday functioning, Joan seeks to create sonic experiences that encourage focused listening, guiding listeners through crafted auditory experiences that reflect upon and respond to their environments. She is fascinated by how attention constructs and distorts perception, shaping our experiences. Her music blends sound design, foley, and new music composition, occupying a liminal space between narrative-driven and material-driven listening. Recognisable sound sources are often distorted in her works, leaving behind crafted gestures and faint traces of what they once were.
Irene Tanuwidjaja
(Hochschule für Musik und Tanz Köln)
Irene Tanuwidjaja is an Indonesian composer who holds a Master of Music in Electronic Composition from the Hochschule für Musik und Tanz Köln, where she studied with Michael Beil as a DAAD scholar. She previously completed her bachelor’s degree at UPH Conservatory of Music, Indonesia, studying with Antonius Priyanto and Renardi Effendi.
Her work often begins with small gestural motions or fleeting visual moments drawn from subtle details in everyday life, sound and the cultural environments that have shaped her experience. These gestures transform into materials through which sensory experiences unfold, revealing the inner textures of sonic and visual materials.
Irene is also Artistic Director of Radarsuara, an Indonesian composer collective focused on sonic experimentation through creative practice and research rooted in local Indonesian landscapes. Her works have been presented by organisations and ensembles including Ensemble Mosaik, ZKM, Tacet(i) Ensemble, and at festivals across Indonesia and internationally.