Photo : VICTOR&SIMON-JOANA LUZ
Soundwalk Collective & Patti Smith
Continuing from the immersive exhibition Evidence presented at the Centre Pompidou in 2022, the Soundwalk Collective and Patti Smith continue their partnership with the institution, presenting an original version of their project, Correspondences.
Philharmonie de Paris (Paris 19th)
About
Correspondences is an ever-evolving work, born from an artistic dialogue spanning more than ten years. It brings together the Soundwalk Collective—composed of artist Stephan Crasneanscki and producer Simone Merli—and iconic author and musician Patti Smith. At the heart of this project are the sounds and images collected by Stephan Crasneanscki in the most remote and vulnerable regions of the planet. This raw material was then entrusted to Patti Smith, offering her poetry new territories to explore. Combining film, music, poetry, and soundscapes, Correspondences takes the form of an immersive journey. From melting glaciers to the vastness of the desert, the performance plunges the audience into the heart of natural elements, guided by Patti Smith's evocative poetry. Through the invocation of various figures—poets, filmmakers, revolutionaries—a game of "correspondences" is created. A nod to 19th-century epistolary exchanges as much as to the bridges built between places and eras. A powerful reflection on the fragility of humans and the living world emerges. Created in 2023 in an open-ended format designed to evolve over a decade, Correspondences is presented here in a version enriched with new creations by Patti Smith.
Co-produced by the Centre Pompidou and the Philharmonie de Paris.
Our take on this event
Step into a breathtaking fusion of raw environmental field recordings and the haunting, spoken-word brilliance of Patti Smith. This evolving multimedia performance invites you on a profound journey, mapping the delicate connections between humanity and the natural world.
On January 29, 2027, the Philharmonie de Paris hosts an immersive performance featuring the Soundwalk Collective and legendary musician Patti Smith. Entitled Correspondences, this collaborative project weaves together poetry, film, and field recordings captured in remote regions of the world. By blending environmental soundscapes with Smith's evocative verse, the trio explores the fragility of nature and the human condition. This ticketed event takes place in the 19th arrondissement for one night only, running from 20:00 to 23:00. Audiences will experience an evolving work that bridges geography, history, and art through an intimate and sensory-focused exploration of the world's most vulnerable landscapes.
Correspondences represents an ongoing artistic dialogue between Stephan Crasneanscki, Simone Merli, and Patti Smith. The performance stems from raw audio and visual material gathered by the Soundwalk Collective across diverse, isolated ecosystems. This collection serves as a canvas for Smith, whose poetry reacts to the textures of the world, from melting glaciers to vast deserts. The performance invokes various historical figures, including poets and filmmakers, to create a web of connections that reflect on the fragility of life.
Initially launched in 2023, the project is designed to evolve over a decade; this specific presentation at the Philharmonie de Paris includes new, exclusive work from Smith. The evening is a joint production between the Philharmonie de Paris and the Centre Pompidou, offering a unique opportunity to witness this multifaceted show in a singular, immersive setting.
Scheduled for Friday, January 29, 2027, the event runs from 20:00 to 23:00. This is a ticketed performance located in the 19th arrondissement of Paris. Attendees are encouraged to prepare for a deep, contemplative experience that highlights the interplay between sound, image, and the spoken word.
