Music as a weapon: Nik Nowak’s sound sculptures can be seen in Dresden

Nik Nowak presents his sound installation Schizo Sonics: Sound as a Cold War Weapon from November 29 to March 2, 2025 in the Museum of Military History in Dresden. Monumental sculptures and powerful soundscapes invite visitors to explore the political and emotional power of sound in a way that is both meaningful and thoughtful.

The exhibition focuses on two main tasks: Panzer (2011), a dump truck with steel tracks converted into a sound system, is a sound sculpture that deals with the political reggae sound systems of the 1970s in Jamaica. The Mantis (2019) is an artistic reflection on the loudspeaker war on the German-German border during the Cold War. Between 1961 and 1965, this became an acoustic duel in which powerful loudspeaker systems tried to drown each other out.

The two works engage in dialogue in a controversial installation and create a sound and art experience that immerses visitors in the soundscapes of the geopolitical proxy wars of this time as well as in the syncopated grooves of the reggae group inside. Jamaica Workers Partyto play, for example, a beach-friendly version of the International.

In the context of Schizo Sonics, a 43-minute audio essay is presented based on archive material, including the GDR marching song “Our Panzer Division”. The essay is written by Jessica Edwards spoken and with the poems of the freestyle artist Unlimited livez illuminated and thus combines a historical sound world with poetic reflections. The essay expands the installation to include an acoustic and narrative level that allows visitors to deeply explore the political and emotional dimensions of sound.

GROOVE presents: Schizo Sonics – Sound like a cold war weapon
November 29 to March 2, 2025
Kunsthaus Dresden

Entry is free. More information about the program is available on the official website website available from the Military History Museum.