Art that will make you think, feel and act: Why Songs for the Storm to Come is a must-see

The climate crisis is one of the most urgent challenges of our time. Yet, its vast and often abstract implications can leave us feeling disconnected from its reality.

At HOME Manchester, Songs for the Storm to Come bridges this gap, transforming data and projections into an intimate and moving exploration of the future we face.

This innovative installation, created by internationally acclaimed Greek-British artist Mikhail Karikis, blends art, science, and the power of community voices to deliver a sensory-rich experience.

It reimagines Britain’s landscape in the wake of rising sea levels, offering a hopeful vision of resilience and connection amidst change.

Songs for the Storm to Come at HOME

Created by internationally renowned Greek-British artist Mikhail Karikis, the installation invites audiences to consider what Britain’s future might look like as rising sea levels reshape its geography by 2050. 

Mikhail, celebrated for his participatory approach to art, worked closely with the SHE cooperative choir—a Manchester-based group of women and non-binary individuals—and researchers from the School of Digital Arts (SODA) at Manchester Metropolitan University. 

You can find out more about SHE cooperative choir by clicking here

Together, they explored the emotional dimensions of climate change, imagining collective responses that go beyond survival to envision thriving communities.

“I work in a participatory way, with people who come from different walks of life, to collaborate with me to generate the content of the exhibitions,” explained Mikhail. 

This idea is central to Songs for the Storm to Come, which places community voices at its heart. 

The SHE choir members began by examining climate modelling data that shows how sea level rise will transform Britain’s geography. 

Greek-British artist Mikhail Karikis

Through their voices, they express their personal and emotional reactions to these stark projections while calling for social and political change to bring people together in the face of these challenges.

The installation is divided into two main elements, each offering a unique perspective on the theme. “One is a large video projection featuring a film that was created in collaboration with SHE Cooperative Choir,” Mikhail said. 

This central film combines the choir’s voices with striking visuals, offering an emotionally charged reflection on humanity’s relationship with the environment. 

It approaches climate change not as a distant threat but as a deeply personal and immediate concern. “It’s about how we respond emotionally—what feelings we have when we see this kind of data—and imagining hopeful possible futures, not just survival, but actually thriving.”

The second component of the installation consists of eight smaller films displayed on monitors placed on the floor. 

These films document experiments conducted with researchers from School of Digital Arts (SODA), in which sound vibrations interact with physical materials like water, sand and corn starch. 

“We see different materials being vibrated using the sounds of the participants’ voices,” Mikhail explained. The results are mesmerising, abstract visuals that evoke the powerful connections between human expression, sound, and the natural world.

Beyond its sensory and emotional impact, Songs for the Storm to Come aims to educate.

“I’d like the audience to leave after visiting this exhibition having received three things,” Mikhail shared.

“One is an engaging installation on a sensory level—there is sound, there is moving image, a really exciting and interesting and different multi-sensory experience. 

“The second is information to do specifically with climate change and the British Isles, and how we are all going to be affected. 

“And the third is being able to receive hopeful messages as well as different ideas of possible futures.”

This balance—sobering reality paired with imaginative optimism—is one of the most striking aspects of Songs for the Storm to Come. 

The SHE choir

The SHE choir’s voices, combined with Mikhail’s artistic vision, remind us that while climate change presents daunting challenges, it also calls for new ways of thinking and coming together. 

“The project is approaching the theme of climate change from an emotional perspective,” Mikhail said. “How do we respond emotionally? How do we find the power to form communities and imagine better futures for ourselves and others?”

HOME Manchester has a reputation for showcasing innovative and socially engaged art, and Songs for the Storm to Come is no exception. 

it’s an invitation to reflect, to feel, and to act. Through its rich combination of sound, visuals, and community voices, it transforms climate data into something visceral and urgent—a call to imagine a better future, and to work together to make it happen.

As Mikhail reminds us, art has a unique role to play in moments of crisis. “This isn’t just about surviving,” he said. 

“It’s about imagining how we can thrive—and how we can thrive together.”

HOME Manchester

Don’t miss this extraordinary exhibition at HOME Manchester. With its combination of science, emotion, and artistic innovation, Songs for the Storm to Come offers a powerful vision of what’s at stake—and what’s possible—for our collective future.

Tickets for Songs for the Storm to Come at HOME

Songs for the Storm to Come is now on view at HOME Manchester. Step into this immersive, inspiring experience and discover what it means to imagine a hopeful future in the face of profound change.

You can get tickets for Songs for the Storm to Come by clicking here