Choir of Kin – Photosynthesizer

Central to the installation at DAS WEISSE HAUS is the Photosynthesizer, making its Austrian debut. The instrument is part of the project Choir of Kin by the collective Transformative Narratives, consisting of Lena Kuzmich and Tony Wagner, and emerged from one and a half years of transdisciplinary research in collaboration with the University of Cambridge and the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam.

Developed by Lena Kuzmich, the Photosynthesizer translates the photosynthetic activity of living cyanobacteria and microalgae into a light-responsive soundscape. The organisms respond continuously to changes in light, temperature, and other environmental factors, making otherwise invisible biological processes audible and perceptible in their interconnectedness.

By harnessing the algae’s bioelectrical activity, the work explores a new, eco-centric approach to music-making: humans, organisms, and the environment are not separate, but form an inseparable, dynamic network. Every action, biological process, and acoustic response is part of this network, making our responsibility for ecological relationships tangible.

In three performative sequences, performers interact with the Photosynthesizer through experimental music pieces composed specifically by Tony Wagner. The compositions create a shared listening space in which the instrument’s signals and the live sounds of the performers merge. Through their intuitive and improvisational responses within the compositions, a vibrant, interconnected resonance emerges – a Choir of Kin.

Video: Documentation of Choir Of Kin – Photosynthesizer Live Activation I, II and III

Live Activation I
with Susanna Gartmayer, Karolina Preuschl, and Tony Wagner 
April 16, 2026

Live Activation II  
with Li-Chin Li and Tony Wagner 
April 28, 2026

Live Activation III   
with Margit Schoberleitner, Hannah Todt, and Tony Wagner 
Mai 08, 2026