Carlito Carvalhosa’s “Sum of Days” is a palimpsestual participatory treat for the eyes and ears (photo by twi-ny/mdr)
Museum of Modern Art
The Donald B. and Catherine C. Marron Atrium, second floor
11 West 53rd St. between Fifth & Sixth Aves.
Wednesday – Monday, $22.50 ($12 can be applied to the purchase of a film ticket within thirty days)
212-708-9400
www.moma.org
sum of days slideshow
For his “Sum of Days,” Brazilian artist Carlito Carvalhosa has created a palimpsestual participatory passageway in MoMA’s Marron Atrium that is more than initially meets the eyes — and ears. Sheets of white translucent fabric hang down from the high ceiling, forming a mazelike twisting walkway lined with a series of dangling speakers and microphones at different heights, recording current ambient sound while playing back the sounds of the installation’s previous days, melding everything together into a symphonic cacophony of the piece’s past and present, with the older sounds fading away in the background. Just as it’s hard to differentiate among the various noises and make out actual words, people’s vision is also impacted by the long sheets, which turn other visitors into shadowy figures walking by like ghosts. Many people go through the installation very quickly, but you should take your time, letting the sights and sounds envelop you for an energizing, ethereal experience. Once a week through November 10, a special sixty-to-ninety-minute musical performance will take place within the exhibition, but while MoMA has announced the lineup — Lisa Bielawa, David Crowell, Jon Gibson, Philip Glass, Carla Kihlstedt, Michael Riesman, Mick Rossi, and Andrew Sterman — the concerts will be announced on the actual day of the event via MoMA’s Twitter feed (@MuseumModernArt), although we can tell you that the first one is scheduled for September 15.