Crossing Voices
The point of departure for “Crossing Voices” was to make a large wave of movement travel through the space and return again.
The movement consisted of the following elements:
⁃ a group of voluntary participants which congregated together, crossed the space in an accelerated motion, returned in a decelerated motion and disbanded at the starting point.
⁃ The voices of these people that formed a choir that produced a continuous tone in a similar process of acceleration and deceleration.
⁃ Daylight that was let in and reduced at a rate parallel to the movements of the group and the sound.
Organization and design:
People were asked to participate in the sculpture by means of radio broadcasts and advertisements.
On responding, they were sent instructions after which they commit themselves definitely.
There are no rehearsals: the whole system was directed so that people would directly confronted with the system and would be given all kinds of instructions on the spot.
A small group of people were invited to get to know the system beforehand; they occupied prominent positions in the group in order to mark out the main form.
The 28 x 17 meter hall has windows on one short side which were obscured by adjustable curtains.
Eight monitors were hung so that they were visible from all corners of the space.
They were linked to a computer that controlled the whole process and displayed the passing of time and a scale which reacted to the level of the voices and acted as a volume indicator for the performers.
There were lines across the length of the hall which were parallel to each other and, in combination with the monitors, supplied information about the speed of movement.
Performance:
Out of the darkness, two people left together from the middle of the blank wall.
They made low soft vocal sounds.
After 18 minutes, they'd traveled so far along the central line that the next two people could take their place behind them.
Six minutes later, these two were also followed.
The times between entrances now became shorter and the rows consisted of more people while the vocal volume also rose.
The group traveled in the direction of the daylight, more of which was being let in.
The last people were leaving just as the first people arrived at the window and a 27 meter long cross totally filled the dimensions of the space.
The rows turned at the window and when the last to go and first to return passed each other, the curtains were completely open and the vocal volume and speed of movement reached their peak.
After that, everything decreased to end in silence and darkness.
| year | 1986 |
| date | 02.11.1986 |
| location | De Fabriek Eindhoven NL |
| performed by | 100 volunteer participants |
| photography | Henk Geraedts |
| further information | The project was financially made possible by the ministry of W.V.C. And De Fabriek, |
| technical | Technical assistance and software: STEIM Amsterdam |