Sonic Architecture
Behind Walker Arts Center near downtown Minneapolis, a concrete walkway carved into the sloping terrain leads to an amazing space named Sky Pesher, designed by artist James Turrell (born 1943, Pasadena, CA). Once inside, the bunker-like concrete structure directs the observer’s eye to a 16-foot rectangular opening in the ceiling. A heated ledge around the internal circumference invites one to sit, lean back, and contemplate the sky’s ever-changing colors and moods, isolating the visitor from all buildings, trees, and city sounds.
The word “pesher” is Hebrew for “interpretation.” Among the Dead Sea scrolls, Essene scripts have been discovered that isolate each verse of a Torah book, such as Psalms, followed by a written contemplation of the text in order enhance one’s understanding of the passage. Likewise, Turrell invites us to expand our perception of a piece of sky.
Turrell has created a number of such visual experience installations around the country, each with its own unique setting and effect, playing with elements of perceptual psychology and optical illusion. His art spaces suggest a visual realization of Paul Schaeffer’s Reduced Listening theory and l’object sonore (the sonic object). Yes, we know it’s the sky, but once we get past that bit of the obvious and look with new eyes, we’re able to see colors change from pale blue to screaming orange, perceive warmth or coolness, watch white and grey and charcoal shapes undulating in the opening – appreciating the light on a completely different level.
As Turrell writes, “My spaces must be sensitive to events outside themselves. They must bring external events into themselves. I think of my works as being important in terms of what they have to do with us and our relationship to the universe, but not necessarily in scientific terms.”
Cantus is a professional all-male a cappella ensemble heralding from St. Olaf College in Northfield, MN where friends got together in 1995 just for the fun of singing. They have gone on to perform over 400 concerts in the United States and abroad, all to glowing accolades. Cantus performs without a conductor, listening and watching each other with rapt attention to the smallest details of the sound they’re making.
As 2010-2011 artists in residence with Minnesota Public Radio, Cantus has been exploring unusual acoustic spaces around the Minneapolis/St. Paul area in a project called “Sonic Architecture.” Sky Pesher was the perfect place for them to perform, whether it was for a crowd of 50-70 (all that can cram into the space), or just for themselves. In this space, Cantus chose to improvise on a traditional Indian Raga chant, utilizing mouth cavity alterations to create all manner of overtones and acoustic surprises. Cantus’ artistic co-director and baritone, Adam Reinwald, says of the event, “The harmonic overtone style combined with improvised Indian Classical Raga created a very ethereal, almost alien sound, which was a reaction to the austerity and simplicity of the space.”
Combination of the stark coolness of Turrell’s Sky Pesher and Cantus’ encompassing warmth of sound created an experience of enormous depth and spirituality. I invite you to treat yourself to a few moments of awe that this unplanned collaboration offers. http://bcove.me/ac12ut9f
More information on Sky Pesher: http://www.artsconnected.org/resource/120274/five-elements-of-contemporary-art-space-james-turrell-s-sky-pesher-2005/tab/comments
More Cantus Sonic Architecture:
Stairwell at MPR -- http://minnesota.publicradio.org/display/web/2010/12/17/cantus-stairwell/
Wabasha Caves http://minnesota.publicradio.org/display/web/2010/11/30/cantus-caves/
Under the bridge at Lake of the Isles -- http://minnesota.publicradio.org/display/web/2010/11/18/mntoday-cantus-bridge/
Margo Kanthak
MUSM 435 -- Spring 2010
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