Icelandic-Danish Artist Olafur Eliasson Presents "A Symphony of Disappearing Sounds" for Great Salt Lake

Striking new artwork features a musical composition and light projection at Memory Grove in Salt Lake City.

Mar. 26, 2026 at 12:00am

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From March 26 to April 4, residents and visitors to Salt Lake City are invited to experience "A Symphony of Disappearing Sounds for the Great Salt Lake" - a new artwork by Icelandic-Danish artist Olafur Eliasson. The work comprises a musical composition using field recordings of local animals and natural phenomena, as well as a colorful light projection on a large, elevated sphere. The event is part of the "Wake the Great Salt Lake" public art initiative aimed at raising awareness about the decline of the Great Salt Lake.

Why it matters

The Great Salt Lake is facing significant environmental challenges, with declining water levels threatening the lake's delicate ecosystem. This artwork by Eliasson aims to connect residents and visitors to the lake and its surrounding environment, using sound and light to make the relationships between the city and the lake more explicit.

The details

The musical composition for "A Symphony of Disappearing Sounds" uses a combination of existing sound archives and new field recordings made for the project, featuring local animals and natural phenomena. The music is broadcast throughout the city, allowing attendees at Memory Grove to experience the seldom-heard sounds that tie Salt Lake City to its iconic lake. The colorful light projection unfurls after dark upon the surface of a large, elevated sphere, creating a striking visual element to the artwork.

  • The artwork will be presented each evening from Thursday, March 26 through Saturday, April 4.
  • The event takes place at Memory Grove in Salt Lake City.

The players

Olafur Eliasson

An Icelandic-Danish artist known for his large-scale immersive artworks that explore the relationship between nature, technology, and human perception.

Wake the Great Salt Lake

A temporary public art project supported by the Salt Lake City Arts Council, the Salt Lake City Mayor's Office, and the Bloomberg Philanthropies Public Art Challenge, aimed at raising awareness about the decline of the Great Salt Lake.

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What’s next

Attendees are encouraged to park near the Utah State Capitol Building and use pedestrian walkways to enter and exit Memory Grove, as street-level parking in the neighborhood is limited. Alternative transportation options like UTA buses, TRAX, rideshare services, Green Bike, or personal bicycles are also recommended.

The takeaway

This immersive artwork by Olafur Eliasson aims to foster a deeper connection between Salt Lake City and its iconic Great Salt Lake, using sound and light to highlight the environmental challenges facing the lake and inspire residents and visitors to take action to protect this vital natural resource.