Presented from 26 March through 4 April 2026 at Memory Grove in Salt Lake City, A symphony of disappearing sounds for the Great Salt Lake, 2026, comprised a sound composition and a colourful light projection that unfurled after dark upon the surface of a large, elevated sphere.

The composition, created by Eliasson together with UK-based music producer Koreless, combines over 150 field recordings of local animals who depend on the health of the lake, including hundreds of species of birds, amphibians, insects, and mammals. Drawn from existing archives and new recordings made especially for the project, the nature sounds were mixed and translated into a musical composition that differs greatly from how the sounds would be encountered in the wild. The non-human voices were amplified and arranged into rhythmic beats to appeal to the human audience, so that they might perceive the lake in a new light and recognise its vulnerability.  

Many of the animals featured in the work are threatened or endangered. Great Salt Lake supports a unique ecosystem, whose future is imperiled by the rapid growth of the neighboring city and by nearby agriculture. Because the lake is an important stopover for migratory birds travelling between North and South America, preserving the threatened body of water is critical not only for people and animals in the region but also for the entire world. 

The light projection that played out on the large sphere evolved in relation to the soundtrack, progressing through a range of forms that often appear in Eliasson’s practice – structured geometric patterns and crystalline shapes, as well as chaotic, tumbling, and interlinking waves and quivering moirés. For ten nights, the artwork became a destination within Salt Lake City for residents and visitors to share in actively listening to the lake and considering it and its future anew.