The Rubin Museum of Art is delivering something that New Yorkers need: silence. The sound installation by Bill Fontana will open June 15th and is described as "an immersive meditation experience in a sound theater set with chairs and cushions." You can get a preview in the video below—it features the sound of five Kyoto temples' bells when they are not being rung.
Fontana says, "In the context and psychology of Buddhist culture the idea of a bell ringing all the time is a powerful metaphor. There is a famous meditation in which one strikes a bowl shaped bell and if one’s attention is unwavering one experiences that this bell does not stop ringing as long one is listening. In Silent Echoes, I have used modern measurement technology to reveal a hidden world of perpetual acoustic energy within an apparently dormant bell."
Of course, silence is a commodity, and it's going to cost you: 10 bucks to be exact... but you can stay as long as you want! And who knows, maybe that entry fee can also bring you enlightenment... or at the very least, some peace away from your noisy neighbors.
