“I have often wondered whether especially those days when we are forced to remain idle are not precisely the days spend in the most profound activity. Whether our actions themselves, even if they do not take place until later, are nothing more than the last reverberations of a vast movement that occurs within us during idle days.
In any case, it is very important to be idle with confidence, with devotion, possibly even with joy. The days when even our hands do not stir are so exceptionally quiet that it is hardly possible to raise them without hearing a whole lot.”
― Rainer Maria Rilke, Letters on Life
Idleness, Endlessness explores labor, leisure and engagement over a two hour long compositions.
The source material for ‘Idleness, Endlessness’ was collected while attending the Parkfield Artist Residency in September 2012. Parkfield is a unique retreat where invited artists have no obligation to create work, or anything other then their own meals each day. This creates a unique situation for contemplation and reflection.
The source material consists of synthesized tones and radio static collected on a portable synthesizer, a single field recording of the wind, and photographs of the sky. From 2012 – 2015 this material was processed in the studio and used in live performances. The final compositions were created through improvisation with the insertion of 5 minute periods of inactivity every 15 minutes to simply contemplate where the piece had come and where it should go.
Idleness, Endlessness is presented here alongside two altered photographs, the sound element is presented as a singe two hour composition, looped, and not meant to be heard in its entirety.