MAZE has a long-standing interest in exploring the space between composition, improvisation, and installation. Our collaboration with composer Claudio Baroni grew out of a shared fascination with the physicality of sound and the blurred boundaries between speech, music, and meaning.
The Body Imitates the Landscape is a work that centres around whispered text, transducer speakers, and acoustic instruments. Inspired by the Japanese book Karada by Michitaro Tada, Baroni composed this piece as an immersive listening experience, where subtle vocal gestures intertwine with sustained instrumental harmonies. The text, chosen from Tada’s reflections on the body, guides the listener into a space where perception is heightened and the body becomes both subject and medium.
Originally conceived in collaboration with artist Adi Hollander as part of a live performance sound installation, the piece transforms sound into vibration — allowing it to be felt as much as heard. The installation emphasises the materiality of listening, inviting audiences to engage with sound through the entire body, not just the ears.
The work exists both as a live experience and as a recorded album. Released under the same title, The Body Imitates the Landscape comprises 11 movements — each dedicated to a different part of the body, echoing Tada’s philosophical approach. It is a reflection on memory, presence, and the boundaries of sensation, and is dedicated to the memory of Robert Ashley (1930–2014).