Redemption – Approaching Silence (1994 w. Robert Fripp)

Redemption – Approaching Silence. An exhibition by David Sylvian & Robert Fripp at P3 Temporary Art Museum, Tokyo Japan (30.8 – 18.9 1994)

Aganai (Redemption) – Seijaku (Approaching Silence)

The exhibition space for the P3 Gallery, situated above a former graveyard,was filled with lots of beautiful objets d’art, video pictures and Fripp’s text complimented by the music of Sylvian/Fripp. The lighting was designed by Haruki Kaito and Adam Lowe. A statement was issued by Sylvian to explain the motivation behind the concept. (This statement was translated by Satomi Sugiyama.)

“There is a tremendous energy for change concentrating in the world at the moment, and real revolution is being accomplished. Through this revolution, people will change their consciousness and will go back to their core self and will start understanding their ‘evolution’. Being different from the noise or chaos magnified through the media and created through ignorance, this energy works on in a delicate and strong way in silence. This power is associated with the power of sincerity and possibility which appear when we totally devote ourselves to it. As long as art doesn’t
compromise social values or the ego of artists, I think art can possibly mediate this power or at least suggest its existence. This depends on the motivations, senses, and sensitivities of each individual –each individual meaning artist and audience. As a result of experiencing particular events in life, knowledge about this power will give influence and information to our ability to think, feel and act and, moreover, will lead to a true understanding of life and even change. With this installation, we are trying to create an environment which embodies something of the possibility shown above. The motivation in creating this work is to seek a deep root of sincerity. We devote ourselves to sincerity and the service of it. The healing place, that is, the place for reuniting divinity and the self, has been a very important symbol in both my life and work. In the exhibition space, the womb is suggested in various ways and you will experience a very happy situation. At the heart of it, the meeting with divinity takes place. Many mystical events and ceremonies have a place where the material and spiritual meet, using the human body as a shrine. In a sense, this is a basic aspect of the vision of redemption. In the main gallery, the work suggests that our divinity takes precedence over our wills. It also hints at the importance of female principles, which are directly connected to our creation, benevolence and redemption. The work is, overall, advocating a way of serving divinity through awareness, benevolence and sincerity.” (transcript form Tallow Moon Newsletter #2)

Credits

Last 13 pictures from the Redemption exhibition – posted by David Sylvian on December 10, 2021 on Facebook and Instagram. Copyright David Sylvian