Inkless
Kinetic Sounding Object | Spatial Piece (2026)
Inkless was part of Library Genesis group exhibition from June to August 2026 at the oldest public library in Finland built in 1882, Rikhardinkatu Library.
Library Genesis was curated by Uni Nissinen, and located in the artist books collection area at the base of the library’s spiral staircase. The bookshelf sculpture was handmade by carpenter Kryštof Kučera, holding artworks by artists Sara Blosseville, Hikari Nishida, Frans Nybacka, Jaakko Pallasvuo, and Xiao Zhiyu.
The bookbinding needle archives the stroke of sound. The rolling paper creates a chronological record of movement over time, as if a seismograph is tracing the vibrations of an earthquake. The micro-sounds around the archive box explore the interplay between the permanence of ink and the temporality of sound.
Inkless includes a spatial performance that reveals the hidden electromagnetic forces within the archive box and the Rikhardinkatu Library. The kinetic movements follow the score of the sound piece, creating a dialogue between the invisible and physical world.
Presented at the exhibition opening, the sound piece can be heard from all floors, and listeners were invited to roam around the library quietly.
Photo: Eleni Kavouki
Credits for Inkless
Electronics support: Matti Niinimäki
Woodworking support: Janne Andberg
Metalwork support: Janne Ojala
Credits for Spatial Piece
Impulse response support: Ricardo Atienza Badel
Sound guidance: Andrea Mancianti
Technical support: Alejandro Yllarramendy
Many thanks to specialist librarians Jyri-Petteri Volkoff and Chris Gurney.