soft signals Exhibition festival on contemporary sound art practices

“A faint shaking, as fragile and delicate as life itself” – this is how Ursula K. Le Guin describes the phenomenon of sound. The exhibition invites visitors to explore this faint shaking, along with its vibrations, resonances and traces of sound.

In the spirit of polyphony – an open harmony in which several independent and equal melodic voices sound simultaneously – soft signals brings together artists whose works explore ecological, physical and social processes through sound. Seismic data is transformed into visual compositions; air currents and heat generate autonomous sound systems; and listening itself becomes an embodied form of perception, composed of curiosity and critical attention.

Artists: Alan Affichard, Luc Avarguès, Bella Comsom, Octave Courtin, Nina Emge, Keta Gavasheli, Lilli Lake, Hugo Livet, Mélia Roger, Sandra Volny, Yonca Yildirim

‘soft signals’ emerged from a collaboration between Mimosa e.V. (Cologne) and Selvatica (Paris), driven by a shared desire to exchange ideas on the medium of sound in contemporary art.

The exhibition is supported by the Kunststiftung NRW, the Goethe-Institut Paris, adagp, the PERSPEKTIVE Fund and the Franco-German Citizens’ Fund. As part of the PERSPEKTIVE Fund for Contemporary Art & Architecture, an initiative of the Office for the Visual Arts at the Institut français in Germany. Supported by the French Ministry of Culture, the Institut français de Paris and the Goethe-Institut.

The project is supported by the Franco-German Citizens’ Fund: the Franco-German Citizens’ Fund advises on, connects and funds projects that bring Franco-German friendship and Europe to life for the general public. It supports a wide range of formats and themes, is accessible to all and is open to all civil society actors. The Citizens’ Fund stems from the Treaty of Aachen concluded between Germany and France in 2019 and was established in April 2020. It is implemented by the Franco-German Youth Office (DFJW) and funded in equal parts by the German Federal Government and the French Government.

Duration:

4–13 September 2026

Opening:

Fri 4 September, 6.00 pm – 9.00 pm

Opening hours:

Fri & Sat 2.00 pm – 9.00 pm
Sun 2.00 pm – 6.00 pm

Bilker Bunker – History, Refurbishment, Present Day

What lies behind the two-metre-thick concrete walls of the Bilk Bunker? The guided tour, which also takes visitors through the floors of the former high-security bunker in Düsseldorf’s Bilk district that are otherwise closed to the public, explores the eventful history, the conversion and the current use of this unique site. Used as a shelter during the Second World War, the bunker’s rooms have been open since August 2023 to a wide range of art, cultural and musical events.

The number of participants is limited to 15. If fewer than five people register, the tour will be cancelled.

Further dates in 2026: Sat 3 Oct / Sat 7 Nov / Sat 5 Dec

Off to the terrace

How lovely – summer’s back, and with it our Bunker terrace!

With fresh ideas, even fresher drinks and the odd snack or two, we’ve got one main aim this summer: to hang out with you all in the most relaxed way possible on the pavement outside the Bunker. Before, after or during your visit to the exhibition, to kick off a night out, before a concert, or just for the sake of it… What could be better?

Come along – weather permitting, we’re open
Fridays from 4 pm to 10 pm
Saturdays from 3 pm to 10 pm
Sundays from 2 pm to 6 pm

Open Monuments Day

To mark Open Monuments Day, the Bilker Bunker will demonstrate how a human, creative and cultural network can be re-established within a former shelter.

When?
13 September 2026
2.00 pm – 6.00 pm

More information to follow!

THE “BILKER BUNKER” THROUGH THE AGES

Air-raid shelter no. 25 - the Bilk high-rise bunker on the corner of Aachener Straße and Karolingerstraße was built as such in 1942. The architect Carl Krieger (1875-1957) was responsible for the planning.

In 1995, the grey bunker in Bilk was given a colorful makeover at the request of the local population: within six weeks, it was painted by an international group of artists under the direction of Klaus Klinger (Farbfieber). The “Time Travelers” mural symbolizes the fragile coexistence of different cultures in a shared world.

In 2016, the project developer KÜSSDENFROSCH took over the bunker and developed a multi-layered art and culture concept. The redesign of the bunker was implemented by Bilker Bunker gGmbH with the creativity, courage and ideas of committed neighbors and the citizens' initiative “Bilk Pro Bunker”. We would like to thank everyone involved for their time and commitment.

The history exhibition can be seen during regular opening hours as part of the exhibition eight planets, one star, one world.

Archive

Past exhibitions and events in the Bilker Bunker

»BILKER BUNKER« SHOP

SHOPPING FOR A GOOD CAUSE

In our small but nice shop at the main entrance you can buy artists' catalogues, architecture books, limited art prints, editions and our »Bilker Bunker« merchandise consisting of posters, shoppers, T-shirts and sweaters. And best of all: the generated funds go to charitable causes and support our art and cultural formats! 
The shop is open during the exhibition hours (Wed & Fri 5:00 pm–9:00 pm and Sat & Sun 12:00 pm–6:00 pm).