From March 26th through April 4th, 2026, Olafur Eliasson will present A symphony of disappearing sounds for the Great Salt Lake, a major new public art commission in Salt Lake City. Staged nightly at Memory Grove, the immersive installation forms the centerpiece of Wake the Great Salt Lake, a citywide initiative addressing the lake’s rapid environmental decline.
Blending sound and light, the project invites residents and visitors to gather after dark for a collective sensory experience that connects urban life to the fragile ecosystem beyond it.
Olafur Eliasson’s art illuminates Memory Grove
At the heart of the installation is a large elevated sphere that becomes a canvas for shifting, colorful light projections. As darkness falls, the sphere glows with a dynamic chromatic display, transforming Memory Grove into a contemplative landscape.
Accompanying the light work is an original musical composition built from field recordings of local animals and natural phenomena. Drawn from archival material and new recordings, many of the sounds belong to species increasingly threatened by the shrinking Great Salt Lake. Broadcast in the city, these rarely heard sonic traces underscore the invisible ties between Salt Lake City and its surrounding environment.
The project also includes a public talk by the artist on March 25 at the Salt Lake City Public Library, expanding the conversation around art’s role in environmental stewardship. Admission to the nightly installation is free, reinforcing its mission as an open, communal experience.
Known for creating experiential works that heighten awareness of climate and perception, Olafur Eliasson approaches this public art commission as both poetic gesture and civic call to action. By merging ecological soundscapes with luminous abstraction, he makes tangible the interconnected systems of land, water, air, and species. Prepare to be immersed in this new artwork by Olafur Eliasson and delve deeper into his art in our interview.
Wake the Great Salt Lake
Wake the Great Salt Lake
