An intimate performative sound installation for a solo audience.
“We are the world ́s witnesses. We are the ones who know. In many religious and philosophical traditions, there is a causal connection between knowledge and doing the right thing. This is a flaw in our system – we are bystanders of suffering. We reach out our hands, but touch nothing but air. We are invisible. We are helpless. We are angels.”
The sound installation will be open for one-on-one sessions in our backyard between 6-10pm on Fri, Sep 18. Visitors will sign in for their individual sessions with the artists upon arrival. While waiting their turn, we invite our guests to enjoy THE MIX, an exhibition of abstract art curated by OXHEART in the front gallery. Come be transported!
By the Scandinavian artist duo Stefan Thorsson, Composer, and Liv Kristin Holmberg, Organ Player and Performance Artist.
NOoSPHERE Arts – 251 East Houston Street – New York, NY 10002
btw. Norfolk and Suffolk Streets.
Subway: F-train, Second Avenue–Lower East Side stop.
For more information, please contact the gallery at mail@no-in-nyc.org
Photo: ©Nisa Ojalvo 2015
Program note
In resemblance to the angels of Wings of Desire by Wim Wenders, you are listening to the suffering of mankind. Distress, trouble, need and want occupy your varying screens, you’re constantly watching and listening but stand seemingly without any causal influence on the ongoing world. You try to process the massive information flow by transforming the resulting inner stress through the help of family and friends, dinner parties and social media, work and physical exercise, etc. What else can you do?
Your ears have grown immensely. You’re listening to people of Asia as they describe how the flood destroyed their life, you’re listening to miners in Latin America, captured like rats in a deep hole, you’re listening to the child prostitutes in Thailand, to persecuted homosexuals in Russia, to the crying women and children in Syria, to the screaming of the drowning refugees on their way to Europe. Like an eternal cacophony and you are constantly listening, looking down on your hands, helplessly passive in your lap.
You seize your cell phone, the wine glass, the person you love, and shake your head – what’s in your capacity and capability? You criticize and analyse; you debate the matter at work, at a dinner party, with your colleagues and friends, and you shake your head, over and over, you don’t understand, you cannot comprehend.
In resemblance to the angels, you know too much, but you are simultaneously and increasingly unable to control the situation. At these times, you question contemporary art that inform you about how the world is shaped, since you don’t lack a listening ability, an insight. What you miss is the interaction – casually and physically.
You are the world’s witness. You are the one who know. In many religious and philosophical traditions, there is a causal connection between knowledge and doing the right thing. This is a flaw in our system – you are a bystander of suffering. You reach out your hand, but touch nothing but air. You’re invisible. You’re helpless. You’re like an angel. (L.K. Holmberg)
Photo: ©Nisa Ojalvo 2015
Libretto
The Far East. The Great North. The Wild West. The Great Bear Lake. Tristan da Cunha. The Mississippi Delta. Stromboli. The old houses of Charlottenburg. Albert Camus. The morning light. The child’s eyes. The swim in the waterfall. The spots of the first drops of rain. The sun. The bread and wine. Hopping. Easter. The veins of leaves. The blowing grass. The colour of stones. The pebbles on the stream’s bed. The white tablecloth outdoors. The dream of the house, in the house. The dear one asleep in the next room. The peaceful Sundays. The horizon. The light from the room in the garden. The night flight. Riding a bicycle with no hands. The beautiful stranger. My father. My mother. My wife. My child. (P. Handke)
Link
https://soundcloud.com/stefan-thorsson/do-no-more-than-look-extract
http://www.stefanthorsson.com/do-no-more-than-look/
https://www.facebook.com/events/522593324557295/
http://no-sphere.org/files/uploaded/PR_Do%20No%20More%20Than%20Look%20@%20NOoSPHERE%20Arts_1.pdf
Photo: ©Nisa Ojalvo 2015