Khrystyna Kirik & Mark Bain
The Core

Radio piece

Person holding their head with hands against a red, blurred background

Photo: Nima Taheri

Khrystyna Kirik and Mark Bain explore how the violence of the war in Ukraine is inscribed into the landscape. Using seismic data recorded during missile strikes and explosions in regions such as Kharkiv and Kherson, as well as recordings of a dam’s destruction and earthquakes, they translate violence into vibrations and sounds. The duo layers inaudible yet physically potent low frequencies, dense drones, voices, and high-frequency textures into an intense audio piece.

The Core unfolds as a journey through five acts, leading from the surface down into the depths of the earth. Each act or level evokes not only geological but also emotional shifts, inviting us to use our bodies to listen for the traces of violence that permeate the earth. The sound echoes through walls, bodies, and memories.

The Core was created as part of the CTM Radio Lab, a collaboration with Deutschlandfunk Kultur, CTM Festival, and ORF.