sound vessels from Matriarchal light
This installation features four audio tracks (39-minute total run time), entitled sound vessels from Matriarchal light. In this installation sound is disseminated through custom speakers. Their housing is made from porcelain. This form features a bold geometric exterior and non-parallel interior walls, creating a desirable body considerate of both aesthetic and function.
The audience is asked to cover their footwear before entering the installation. Light blue shoe covers are provided. The covers are thin and pointed at both ends, toe and heel. This action prepares the audience for a moment adjacent to their typical reality. The appearance of the covers adds an element of absurdist humor. It pairs with other decisions inside the space to balance the weight of the music.
The audience enters a dark space, roughly 11’x16’. The floor is covered entirely by reflective Mylar. It appears to be seamless. It reflects light like still water, bouncing the light source onto the four walls that define the room.
On the floor to the left are seven white, angular speakers clustered irregularly, sitting atop colorful spherical bases, tethered to the wall with thin silver cords all running parallel to each other. Each speaker column has the same vertical orientation and stands roughly 13” tall.
The bold color of the bases injects whimsy into the visual language, which could have otherwise been foreboding. Impressing some humor upon the audience helps to alleviate the seriousness that permeates the work. Adding to the humor, a Mylar bunting runs along the bottom 12” of the room. Sporting thin, even strips, this reflective perimeter blurs the junction of the walls and the floor, and feels festive without falling into the specificity of any one particular event.
