Biography

Philippe Battikha is a multidisciplinary artist who explores the intersections between audio art and visual arts. After studying music at Concordia University, he completed a master’s degree in visual arts at the same institution. His work has been presented through exhibitions and performances across Quebec and Canada, as well as in other parts of the world. It was during a residency at the Ateliers Montréalais de la Fonderie Darling that he developed this project. He lives and works in Tiohtià:ke (Montréal).

Sound’s invisibility is what drew me to visual arts. With a background in trumpet playing and music production, I’ve spent the past several years expanding my exploration of sound to installation and sculpture. Even in material-based works, listening remains a fundamental aspect of in my practice.

In today’s visually-driven society, I believe the constant consumption of images hinders our ability to listen – to ourselves, to each other, and to the world around us.

Whether recontextualizing found objects, reusing materials, or reframing specific architectural properties through sound installation and sculpture, I seek to lure others into listening experiences, while conveying a message of ecological responsibility through the materials themselves.

My work encourages a greater attentiveness to listening by creating encounters where each of us can witness the interconnectedness between ourselves and our environment.

L’Histoire de l’Ombre (2023)

L’histoire de l’ombre is that of the dismantling of a mechanical piano from the beginning of the 20th century. In a search that sometimes appears to be reverse engineering, the artist and composer Philippe Battikha extracts the internal components of the instrument and diverts them from their primary function. The piano, which appears functional, activates its keys when the presence of visitors is detected. Made “intelligent” but devoid of its original function of playing notes, it becomes a shadow of itself, playing musicless keys.