Mika Vainio had a habit to invite friends to his home and play them music recordings in silence with full concentration. In the series of the listening rooms, we try to create a similar situation, an empty room full of sound.

The listening room has an aim to get back to listening as a focused and prioritized activity, were you do nothing else than listening. Everyone has a relation to sound and its often very subjective. How can music trigger an emotional response?

The room has few visual elements and is focused just on the act of listening. With no distractions the listener can create a narrative from its own connotations. Simply just experience the music.

Mika Vainio Listening Room is conceived and programmed by Rikke Lundgreen and Tommi Grönlund and has been presented at Sonar Festival/ Fundació Antoni Tàpies, Sibeliusmuseum in Turku, Kulttuurisauna Helsinki, amongst other locations.

Rikke Lundgreen was Mika Vainio’ spouse and is based in Oslo.

Lundgreen is an artist and curator and has worked with sound in various projects.

Mika Vainio’s studio, archive, record and book collection still remains in Oslo where he lived with Lundgreen.

Tommi Grönlund is an artist and runs the record label Sähkö Recordings which Grönlund started with Mika Vainio in 1993.