The language of sound is often used to describe visual art. When an artist uses vivid colours in surprising combinations, their canvases may be described as loud. A work might be described as a symphony when its expressive elements come together in a harmonious composition. As the title of this exhibition indicates, this selection of artwork from the gallery’s Permanent Collection captures a sense of softness, stillness, and hesitation, serving as an exploration of silence.
In this exhibition, figures wait, observe, circle, and disengage. A diver is photographed the moment before they hit the water. Fingers rest on piano keys. Abstract compositions refuse to tell all. Lines and textures alive with creative force offer potential pathways for the eye to wander in peace, possibly evoking silence and stillness within you, the viewer.
As you notice the silence in this exhibition, you may just as easily imagine sounds from the content of individual works, become aware of ambient noise in the space, or even attune to the volume of your own thoughts. Art galleries have a reputation for being quiet sites of contemplation, and while this exhibition luxuriates in that possibility, it also considers how silence can be understood as a state of readiness or openness. How do you feel and what do you notice when it’s oh, so quiet?