Mikko H. Haapoja’s GPS-driven mobile sound art piece Beeline is a sonic portal to Helsinki, Finland, in the middle of Tokyo. The piece is derived from the 14-minute soundscape composition, originally made for an exhibition at Helsinki City Museum in 2015. Beeline is about the long and straight Union street's architectural axis and the urban life there in summer 2015. Beeline draws a sonic route from the old Helsinki Observatorium hill to the Senate Square and from the cobble stones at Helsinki University to Hakaniemi market square and up to Kallio church or vice versa.
By bringing Beeline mobile sound work to the middle of Tokyo, sound artist Mikko H. Haapoja is inviting people to experience, how does it feel to listen to the central streets of the northern capital Helsinki when walking a similar route in the bustling metropolis? The sound coming from the piece is automatically changing while the listener is moving on the route.
Route in Helsinki: between Kallio Church and Observatory Hill
Route in Tokyo: between Nihombashi Pier and Ōte-mon Gate of the Imperial Palace
Technical requirements: Headphones, smart phone, GPS enabled for the web browser
Helsingin reitit – The Routes of Helsinki is a long-term soundscape project initiated by Mikko H. Haapoja in 2010. The project is about listening and capturing the sonic image of Helsinki and creating radiophonic pieces, audiovisual installations and multidisciplinary art performances of it.
3-5-39 Minami-Azabu
Minato-ku Tokyo 106-8561 Japan
Open on weekdays from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM
