Murmure des Marais

Cité du Design, Saint-Étienne
9 April – 4 October 2026
Brass cone
Wooden cone

Murmure des Marais, presented as part of Ppdesigner’s “Recto Verso” exhibition at the Cité du Design in Saint-Étienne, France.

Murmure des Marais is a soundscape exploring the wetland ecosystems located within the Millevaches Regional Natural Park (PNR) nature reserve in the Limousin region. By listening closely and approaching the wooden cone, visitors can hear an excerpt from this composition. The recording captures sounds travelling through the air around the ponds, as well as sounds produced by the brass cone. This instrument, crafted using traditional instrument-making techniques and materials, operates autonomously, without a performer. It interacts with its surrounding environment and captures the sound of the wind in the forest through the movement of a steel windmill.

The wooden cone, a sound object, offers a more intimate listening experience. It invites visitors to come closer and open their ears in order to perceive the sounds and vibrations present within wetland ecosystems.