Info
Axel Ridberg is a sound designer based in Helsinki, Finland. Working primarily within performing arts. Also short films, commercial work, installations, live mixing, creative coding, and other sound-related projects.
He has a master’s and bachelor’s degree in sound design from the Theatre Academy at the University of the Arts Helsinki, a bachelor’s degree in social sciences from Åbo Akademi University, and has also studied film and television sound at Arcada University of Applied Sciences. His work has been presented at e.g. Helsinki City Theatre, Teater Viirus, Q-teatteri, Reality Research Center, and at the Fast Forward Festival.
He is interested in how sound can both carry meaning and, at the same time, resist it, but almost always carry emotional possibilities, and sometimes physical sensation. Other interests include: large speaker setups, diffused choirs, fake classical music, high volumes, maximalism, embracing minimalism.
Axel Ridberg on Helsingissä asuva äänisuunnittelija. Hän työskentelee pääasiassa esittävän taiteen parissa, mutta myös lyhytelokuvien, installaatioiden, live‑äänen, luovan koodauksen ja kaupallisten projektien parissa.
Hänellä on äänisuunnittelun maisterin ja kandidaatin tutkinnot Teatterikorkeakoulusta (Taideyliopisto), valtiotieteiden kandidaatin tutkinto Åbo Akademista sekä opintoja elokuva- ja tv‑äänestä Arcada‑ammattikorkeakoulussa. Ridbergin töitä on esitetty mm. Helsingin Kaupunginteatterissa, Teater Viiruksessa, Q‑teatterissa, Todellisuuden tutkimuskeskuksessa sekä Fast Forward ‑festivaalilla.
Axel Ridberg är en ljuddesigner bosatt i Helsingfors, Finland. Han arbetar främst inom scenkonst, men också med kortfilmer, installationer, live‑mixning, kreativ kodning och kommersiella projekt.
Han har magister‑ och kandidatexamen i ljuddesign från Teaterhögskolan vid Konstuniversitetet, en kandidatexamen i samhällsvetenskaper från Åbo Akademi samt studier i film‑ och tv‑ljud vid Arcada yrkeshögskola. Hans arbeten har presenterats vid bland annat Helsingfors Stadsteater, Teater Viirus, Q‑teatteri, Reality Research Center och Fast Forward‑festivalen.
Projects
Method-based performance created by plagiarising other performances.
Steal This Performance explores questions of originality and identity. Every element on stage—including the sound design—is constructed entirely from stolen, plagiarised, or otherwise borrowed material, most of it from other performances and theatre shows. While the work takes the form of a monologue, it relies heavily on audiovisual and scenographic means to articulate its core idea.
The production premiered at the Theatre Academy in Helsinki in 2024. It was later selected for the Fast Forward Festival 2025 in Dresden, Germany, where it received the Jury Award.
Credits: Directing & Dramaturgy Pauli Patinen. On stage: Juho Keränen. Scenography Anni Hernetkoski. Lighting & Video Design Ville Tolvanen. Sound Design Axel Ridberg. Costume Design Ellen Järnefelt. Stagehands Anni Hernetkoski, Mikael Karkkonen.
Agora - Kaksi merenneitoa tyhjäässä altaassa
Wet performance at Helsinki City Theatre.
A mysterious artwork by an unknown artist has appeared in front of Helsinki City Theatre. A hastily assembled sculpture committee decides to keep the piece and temporarily display it on the Studio Pasila stage.
Agora – Two Mermaids in an Empty Pond premiered at Helsingin Kaupunginteatteri in 2025.
Credits: Concept Minna Lund & Working Group. Director Minna Lund. Dramaturg Martta Jylhä. Texts Minna Lund, Martta Jylhä. Set Design Riku Suvitie. Costume Design Ella Snellman. Lighting Design Tuomas Honkanen. Sound Design Axel Ridberg. Makeup Design Noora Laukkanen. Cast Salla Loper, Emelie Zilliacus, Leenamari Unho.
Kärnminne
Installation in a 700 m2 abandonded bowling hall for ParKino Festival.
Kärnminne (Core Memory) refers to formative experiences and memories. The installation tries to capture the fluid nature of these moments and the way they are stored in our heads. It consisted of hundreds of A4 papers, a video installation, multi-channel audio, and lighting that interacted with the papers to create shifting shadow formations. After opening hours, the installation could be viewed through the windows in the space.
Credits: Concept & execution Axel Ridberg. Exhibition help Ida Ridberg. Production Ida Ridberg, Liisa Taulio, Sebastian Allén. Special thanks Tony Nurmi Samu Kotilainen Pauli Kotilainen
Theatre show about social choreographies around death in western societies.
A diptych is a work of art consisting of two separate parts that, when combined, form a unified work of art. These parts can be attached or displayed side by side.
The first part of the performance explores the social and spatial choreographies of a good death in Western society. The second part asks the question of what we can do in this moment, while we’re alive?
Diptyk places itself in a continuum of artworks about death, raising questions about the medicalisation before death, care, and our ability to deal with death and community.
Credits: Director and manuscript Minna Lund. Translation of manuscript to Swedish David Sandqvist. English surtitles Sarka Hantula. On stage Maria Ahlroth, Oskar Pöysti, Jessica Raita ja Lilli Sukula-Lindblom. Stage design Riku Suvitie. Lighting design Tuomas Honkanen. Sound design Axel Ridberg. Costume design Mirva Mietala. Seamstress Elina Riikonen. Props Elina Riikonen, Riku Suvitie. Mask and hair Kaisa Pätilä. Video design Riku Suvitie, Minna Lund. Intimacy choreographer Sara-Maria Heinonen. Death doula and nursing consultant Ada Koistinen. Dramaturge Elina Snicker (UNTO).
CV
Education
- 2022–2025Master's degree, Sound Design — Theatre Academy, Uniarts Helsinki
- 2019–2022Bachelor degree, Sound Design — Theatre Academy, Uniarts Helsinki
- 2018–2019Sound Design for Film & TV — Arcada University of Applied Sciences
- 2014–2018Bachelor's degree — Åbo Akademi University, Faculty of Social Sciences
Works
- 2025Medeltiden — Sound Design; Åbo Svenska Teater
- 2025Lea-spektaakkeli — Sound Design; Kotimaisen näytelmän festivaali KNF
- 2025Kärnminne — Multi‑media installation, concept & execution; ParKino Festival
- 2025Agora — Sound Design, Helsinki City Theatre, Nykyesityksen näyttämö
- 2025Diptyk — Sound Design, Teater Viirus
- 2024Katveisto — Sound Design, audio walk; Todellisuuden tutkimuskeskus
- 2024Release — Sound Design (on‑set & post), short film; premiere Bio Rex Lasipalatsi spring 2024
- 2024Varasta tämä esitys — Sound Design, Theatre Academy / Winner Jury Prize Fast Forward Festival 2025, Dresden, Germany
- 2023Deep Fantasea — Sound Design, Hangö Teaterträff
- 2023Äckel — Sound Design, Teater Mestola / Viirus Guest
- 2023Message from Tyler, Memento mori, Kirsikkatarha — Sound Design, Q‑teatteri / Teatterikorkeakoulu / Selected for Fast Forward Festival 2023, Dresden, Germany
- 2022Virtaus — Sound Design, Theatre Academy (BA thesis)
- 2022Den kreativa klådan — Sound Design, Teater Mestola / Universum
- 2022Sellout — Voice actor, short film
- 2021148 — Sound Design, concept; Theatre Academy
- 2021Ett Drömspel — Assistant Sound Designer; Carl Knif Company / Svenska Teatern / Riksteatern
- 2017Kosketettavissa — Sound Design; Turku University of Applied Sciences
- 2016Kehotettu — Sound Design; Turku University of Applied Sciences
- 2015Ursäkta, talar du svenska? — Prompter (kuiskaaja); Åbo Svenska Teater
- 2014–2015Ronja Rövardotter — Musician / Performer; Åbo Svenska Teater
- 2012–2013Hair — Live video / Performer; Åbo Svenska Teater
- 2012Pähkinänsärkijä — Stage hand; Åbo Svenska Teater / Aurinkobaletti
- 2011Skarvholma gästhamn — Stage hand; Åbo Svenska Teater
Other
- 2017–2018FinnAgora — Intern / Producer / Coordinator; Finnagora, Budapest (TelepArt, exhibitions, festival projects)