CG03
Sung Tieu employs sound as a critical tool to dissect how social and political power manifests within sensory realms. Through layered compositions, the artist examines the emotional and psychological effects of controlled environments, transforming space into an immersive auditory experience that highlights the structures of surveillance, bureaucracy and institutional design.
Civic Floor examines the evolution of prison architecture, tracing the shift from the radial model developed in Britain in the 1840s to the emergence of galleried and courtyard layouts in the 19th and 20th centuries. It also explores more contemporary approaches, including the “new generation” prisons of the 1990s, which prioritised control through sophisticated spatial and psychological strategies.
Tieu’s soundscape mirrors these architectural developments, blending mechanical rhythms, bodily sounds, ambient drones, and distorted frequencies to evoke the alienation and rigidity inherent in such systems. The work’s immersive soundscape disorients while enveloping the listener, amplifying the psychological weight of these spaces and their design principles.
Sung Tieu (b. 1987, Hai Duong, Vietnam) is an artist based in Berlin. Her work draws on her personal experiences and research into global capitalism and its impacts, addressing themes of imperialist violence, class divides, and displacement. She often reflects the voices and experiences of Vietnamese diaspora communities in Germany. Together with Henrike Naumann, Tieu will represent Germany at the 61st Venice Biennale in 2026.
Track Listing:
Side A
Radial, 2022
Courtyard, 2022
Galleried, 2022
New Generation, 2022
Total length: 20 min
12” 180g clear vinyl with a custom etching on side B, in heavyweight sleeve with printed insert
Audio sample:
CG03
Sung Tieu employs sound as a critical tool to dissect how social and political power manifests within sensory realms. Through layered compositions, the artist examines the emotional and psychological effects of controlled environments, transforming space into an immersive auditory experience that highlights the structures of surveillance, bureaucracy and institutional design.
Civic Floor examines the evolution of prison architecture, tracing the shift from the radial model developed in Britain in the 1840s to the emergence of galleried and courtyard layouts in the 19th and 20th centuries. It also explores more contemporary approaches, including the “new generation” prisons of the 1990s, which prioritised control through sophisticated spatial and psychological strategies.
Tieu’s soundscape mirrors these architectural developments, blending mechanical rhythms, bodily sounds, ambient drones, and distorted frequencies to evoke the alienation and rigidity inherent in such systems. The work’s immersive soundscape disorients while enveloping the listener, amplifying the psychological weight of these spaces and their design principles.
Sung Tieu (b. 1987, Hai Duong, Vietnam) is an artist based in Berlin. Her work draws on her personal experiences and research into global capitalism and its impacts, addressing themes of imperialist violence, class divides, and displacement. She often reflects the voices and experiences of Vietnamese diaspora communities in Germany. Together with Henrike Naumann, Tieu will represent Germany at the 61st Venice Biennale in 2026.
Track Listing:
Side A
Radial, 2022
Courtyard, 2022
Galleried, 2022
New Generation, 2022
Total length: 20 min
12” 180g clear vinyl with a custom etching on side B, in heavyweight sleeve with printed insert
Audio sample:
