Sounds
Last week I had the kids at home so normal routine just goes out the window and days of doing everything differently and slowly ( sometimes frustratingly ) are enforced. I am a creature who likes her own rhythm, I have cultivated my own routine based around their routines, and I’m a very content human in my own time and space. We explored our village , which felt oddly empty and often walked into deserted shops, were the only customers in the local cafe. Sometimes it feels like even the birds have gone on holiday and the skies felt oddly absent of sound. A desert of people and nature.
So after three days of this we ventured into our neighbouring city, and were very relieved to see other humans. The Nottingham contemporary is currently showing work by three different artists, two of which their work is linked by sound. One from watching people in their environments and drawing/painting whilst people worked or danced in the nightclubs of London . And the other one about how sound can be used as a weapon. Very very different styles of work, but after an absence of general noise I was very aware of how I was now being presented with sound as a subject. In the bible we read of sound in terms of worship or weaponry , morning or joy , the sounds of victory , wailing , warning , and jubilation. Silence is often the space where we pray. The silence of the village was oppressive not contemplative. And the noise of life , the noise of being busy, was joyous.
I’ve been listening to Gorecki Symphony no 3 which was written out of sorrow but the music is full of joy. But weirdly amongst all this sound the place my children and I felt really at home was the drawing room in the gallery where we sat and observed people walking down the street. We drew fast not taking our pencils off of the page. And that was the only noise to be heard.
So after three days of this we ventured into our neighbouring city, and were very relieved to see other humans. The Nottingham contemporary is currently showing work by three different artists, two of which their work is linked by sound. One from watching people in their environments and drawing/painting whilst people worked or danced in the nightclubs of London . And the other one about how sound can be used as a weapon. Very very different styles of work, but after an absence of general noise I was very aware of how I was now being presented with sound as a subject. In the bible we read of sound in terms of worship or weaponry , morning or joy , the sounds of victory , wailing , warning , and jubilation. Silence is often the space where we pray. The silence of the village was oppressive not contemplative. And the noise of life , the noise of being busy, was joyous.
I’ve been listening to Gorecki Symphony no 3 which was written out of sorrow but the music is full of joy. But weirdly amongst all this sound the place my children and I felt really at home was the drawing room in the gallery where we sat and observed people walking down the street. We drew fast not taking our pencils off of the page. And that was the only noise to be heard.
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