when: march 14th – may 26th, 2026

where: nicoletta fiorucci foundation, flat 3, 8 chelsea embankment, london sw3 4le

curated by: vittoria de franchis

background: the exhibition includes a site-specific iteration of pond brain, a sculptural sound installation, at once instrument and fountain, inspired by ‘alt’ cybernetic ideas about ponds as self-regulating, living systems. the water-filled bronze piece, forged as the artist’s neuroplastic portrait, resembles a spouting bowl orchestrating feedback loops of sonic vibrations and dancing droplets. a microphone listens to its splashes, chance events in the room, and recordings of sutela playing it, setting into motion an ever-changing sound environment generated from oceanic and interplanetary audio libraries: star pulses, dolphin vocalizations, and beyond.

for the exhibition, sutela presents a new work, pond ephemeris – a score in the form of a lunar chart, perforated in paper like punch cards, extending the artist’s research into sound, language, and registers beyond the human. conceived for the space and in dialogue with pond brain, the score gives visual form to the celestial frequencies embedded in the installation’s sonic architecture, alluding to the moon’s influence on tides, aquatic life, and ultimately ourselves.

installed in the library, a new space dedicated to intermedia and experimental practices, the works transform the room into a resonance chamber and observatory.

on the occasion of the exhibition, sutela will release pond brain in a limited edition of 70 records, lathe-cut in resin – the first of their kind – with organic debris from ponds, featuring sounds from the installation. the release will be published by pan, a multidisciplinary record label, with support from the nicoletta fiorucci foundation. the record is part of the exhibition and is to be presented at cca berlin – center for contemporary arts in berlin on 7 April 2026.

a few thoughts: i discovered this exhibition via pan’s instagram page, and was immediately drawn to the concept. and so off i went, on the saturday after the opening day. i was lucky enough to run into vittoria just as i was approaching the building. she gave me a rundown of the exhibition, providing some context, and let me explore the space. the room was dark small, with a large steel bowl in the middle it, water inside (acting as the pond), microphone dangling next to it. on the wall in front of it was the lunar chart, and to the left of it on display was the limited edition vinyl.

the sounds, oooooh the sounds! as someone fascinated by sound design and music in general, being immersed in a room with abstract sonic landscapes was a real joy. water was dripping from a pouch of water above the bowl, and each droplet, each sound in general, triggered different sonic vibrations via a vat library of sounds. you can play with the bowl itself, use it as a drum, for instance, and the swirling soundscapes, at times dolphin-esque clicks and whistles, at others rumbling, water-flowing sounds, washed over me. claps and vocal effects felt completely distorted, and even during periods of what i felt was silence in the room, there was still something going on. vittoria told me that the microphone and the room itself is very sensitive to sound, so it even has the ability to pick up sounds from the street, or people talking in the next room. it’s a fascinating concept and a truly immersive experience, as well as one that has given me tons of inspiration for my own work.

thanks vittoria for curating and jenna for your incredible vision and creativity.

the album: https://jennasutela.bandcamp.com/album/pond-brain