How do you perceive the world around you? For Tanka Fonta, the senses do not limit our understanding of reality – they intertwine. Have you ever thought about how a bat perceives the world? Or a bee?
The notion of synesthesia is central to his work. For him, colors converse with sounds, and his practice as a composer also translates into painting. His scores can be read as auditory representations of what is seen – and visual representations of what is heard.
Fonta presents a world made of multiple realities that intertwine to form what we call “real.” Have you ever wondered if what you perceive as blue is the same as what someone else sees?
Electromagnetism, a branch of physics that studies the interactions between electric charges and magnetic fields, offers another key to thinking about relationships between beings. What we feel in response to colors – warmth, cold, joy, anger – reveals how reality transforms as cognitive systems interpret electrical pulses. It is these decodings that allow us to call something a “world.”
The core of Fonta’s work is organized in an exhibition space with three listening stations, each equipped with headphones. Here, the public can listen to three orchestral pieces in seven movements, recorded by the Orquestra do Theatro São Pedro at the Teatro Cultura Artística, under the direction of Carlos Moreno. The compositions bring together strings (violins, violas, cellos, double bass), woodwinds and brass, intertwined with percussion instruments such as timpani, congas, djembes, and bells, in addition to guitars, berimbau, African lute, and sanza. Vocal layers, choirs, and solos complete the ensemble, creating a soundscape that oscillates between ceremonial and meditative.
In dialogue with this auditory dimension, a large-scale acrylic mural occupies the central column of the Bienal Pavilion. Structured in six thematic constellations, it combines abstract forms, interconnected symbols, spirals, lines, and intense color fields that evoke creation, philosophy, and the relationship between humanity and nature. Vibrant reds and oranges contrast with deep blues and luminous white areas, generating dynamic atmospheres reminiscent of both cosmic landscapes and energetic flows. More than a static image, the mural functions as a visual cartography of the sonic experience.
Between the musical movements, recordings of poetic readings appear as interludes, adding narrative depth to the listening experience. Meanwhile, the performative script – written by the artist as a fictional dialogue between human and plant intelligences – is presented in readings or performances during the Bienal’s public program, expanding the installation and inviting audiences to imagine new forms of engagement with the living world.
Try closing your eyes and listening to the symphony composed by Tanka. What do you see?