Sound and silence. The relationship between these two abstract and opposite ideas is explored in “At the Moment of Being Heard,” the new exhibition at the South London Gallery.
The group exhibition showcases work from international artists, musicians and composers including crys cole, Leif Elggren, Rolf Julius, Eli Keszler, Baudouin Oosterlynck and Reiner Ruthenbeck. The installations throughout the gallery coincide with a series of live performances and special events. There has been a performance by Tetsuya Umeda, a discussion with artists Baudouin Oosterlynck and Mark Harwood and many other events that discuss sound and modes of listening.
A long white hallway leads up to the main gallery room, an overwhelmingly large space. The main gallery explores the relationship between sound and the intimacy of listening. At first I was startled by how quiet it was. Then I approached the seven black speakers that hang from the ceiling in a row. The closer you get to the upturned round speakers, the more distinct the rumbling becomes. The low rumble reminded me of how a seashell sounds when you put it up to your ear. This piece by Rolf Julius is called “Singing.”
Suddenly the low humming sound is interrupted by a piercing sound from the opposite wall. “Neum” by composer Eli Keszler is an intricate structure of piano wires are stretched across the length of the massive wall and are periodically struck by mechanical beaters. I jumped the first time I heard it. It cut the silence in such an unexpected way.
A photograph by Reiner Ruthenbeck shows someone closing the shutters outside of a gallery. The image conveys the idea of noise without making a sound. At the far end of the gallery, a pile of white salt spills out from a floor vent. Candian sound artist crys cole created this delicate work “Filling a Space with Salt (in Two Parts).”
The first floor gallery is lined with score-drawings by Baudouin Oosterlynck. The drawings document moments of silence during ten journeys throughout Europe by train, on foot and by bicycle. The drawings are accompanied by a topographic map in the middle of the room.
The variety of the pieces in the exhibit made each one interesting and fun to interpret. The exhibit draws the viewer in by inviting them to evaluate art with more than just their eyes. The exhibit is well worth a visit and is running until 8 September. Best of all, admission is free!
The South London Gallery is located at 65-76 Peckham Road, London SE5 8UH. The gallery is open Tuesday-Sunday from 11 am-6pm and is closed on Mondays. The nearest tube stations are Oval, Kennington and Elephant & Castle. The nearest overground is Peckham Rye.
