Vanitas
is a musical installation that meditates on movement and transformation, essential principles of music as an ephemeral art form. Here, these principles take shape in the physical realm, capturing the traces left after sound has faded—an often-overlooked memento mori. Empty chairs and silent instruments, their presence lingering, evoke a haunting sense of absence, inviting us to imagine the voices, both vocal and instrumental, that once filled the space and are now gone.
This piece serves as an allegory for human existence, encapsulating its fragility and transience. It prompts the viewer to reflect on a profound question: is it enough simply to be heard?
The installation unfolds in two interconnected versions: the sonic version (A) and the silent version (B).
In version A, live music is performed within a classical concert setting, ideally by a string quartet (two violins, viola, and cello), voice, zither and harpsichord or virginal. In a more minimal rendition, the performance can be simplified to voice, zither and harpsichord/virginal alone. The music explores themes of memento mori, weaving poems and texts into vocal melodies to evoke reflections on mortality.
In version B, the objects that previously supported the live performance become standalone art pieces. Attention shifts to memory and speculation, imagining what might have been. The chairs used by the quartet and harpsichordist are replaced by identical versions, partially charred, suggesting remnants of the past performance. The harpsichord is either closed or replaced by a pile of coal, and a solitary music stand remains where the singer once stood, now holding only a silent, empty score.
Composer: Steve Katona (All rights reserved)
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