Sound of Silence, not for speed-daters.
Sound of Silence, by Alfred Jaar, is easily the most thought provoking, heart-wrenching, artistic film presentation that I've seen this year. It is a silent film about the events leading up to and after a famous photo taken by Kevin Carter- a South African photojournalist. That's as much detail as I want to give about film, because I want people to actually go see the film not read about it. After watching the eight minute video I literally had to sit down for a few minutes and really digest what I just saw.
Unlike other visual arts, film forces the viewer to take an emotional and time investment. You can't simply walk by film and say "ah, I get it." I read the summary of the installation prior to watching the film and I was a bit hesitant to indulge in a whole 8 minute viewing. I don't know, maybe I was just impatient that particular day. But let's be honest with ourselves, we sometimes treat a trip to the museum like a night of speed-dating- zooming through artwork, the would-be lovers. However, Sound of Silence forces its suitors to sit down, engage, and have a full course meal.
Just look at the installation, it's in a room all by itself! It commands your attention. I was simply aimlessly walking around the museum and stumbled upon the installation. I remember thinking to myself "if this is in a room by itself - literally a box within a box- it MUST be significant." My curiosity was satiated, artistically I was full. It was the last piece I saw on this museum visit. This installation is currently on display at the Museum of Contemporary Art, in Chicago. They did a fantastic job curating this presentation. Alfred Jaar's work here is just simply stunning. Trust me I'm going back for seconds, and next time I'm bringing a bigger appetite.
