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João Onofre: Tacet

João Onofre: Tacet
Library Shelf Location 18.ONOF
Publication Date 2014
Description

From the gallery website 

"

Marlborough Contemporary is pleased to present an exhibition of new works by leading internationally-acclaimed Portuguese artist João Onofre.

At the centre of the exhibition will be Onofre’s new film Tacet – a reinterpretation of experimental composer John Cage’s iconic ‘silent’ work, 4’33’’. Cage originally composed 4’33’’ in 1952 to be interpreted by any combination of instruments, but with instructions for the performers not to play throughout the four minutes and thirty-three seconds of the score. The ambient sounds occurring in the space during this time become part of the piece.

The Latin term ‘tacet’, after which the film is named, is the sole instruction in Cage’s musical score, meaning ‘it is silent’. As in Cage’s piece, the beginning of Onofre’s film is marked by the performer's entrance and the pianist João Aboim closing the piano lid. However, in a divergence from Cage’s instruction, the pianist sets the piano alight.The gradually building fire becomes the dominant sound and a startling image in contrast to the classical scene. Cage famously began making works for prepared piano in 1940, where elements were interposed inside the piano itself for performance.  Onofre’s fire becomes an example of such preparation.

The other works in the exhibition are marked by distinct mediums, but are in some ways interconnected.  In a series of aquatints – a print medium more appropriate for making multiple copies of a work, rather than this unique series – Onofre converts the Universal Declaration of Human Rights together with an unknown image into binary code."

ISBN 9781909693111
Quantity 1
Pages [46] p. : il. col. ; 24 cm
Editor Andrew Renton
Format Softcover
Publisher Marlborough Fine Art (London) Ltd
Related Artists João Onofre, John Cage
Categories Live Art/Performance, Artist (relating to a single artist/collaborative team)
Language English

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