In Là-bas… (There…) the artist Claudia Robles-Angel provides an installation focussing on the transition from light to darkness, interweaving sound and silence.
Là-bas… can hardly be consumed in an instant while passing by. Every visitor should consciously access and experience this work. The first step into the unknown leads the audience out of the world - into the dark. Immersed in the heavy blackness of the first room in the installation, the spectator is deprived of any sense of orientation. Spatial proportions disappear in the darkness and in the humming sound. Body and spirit adapt to the new environment. A transformation ensues. Where it will lead to, is up to each individual self. After all, Là-bas… offers sufficient space to accommodate your own world of thoughts within the installation. Finding your own place between bright and dark, noise and silence.
The artist used phosphorescent material for the visual elements of the installation, creating structures in direct contrast to the quadrophonic sound collage that surrounds the audience without providing a grip. From the mix of voices, words, sounds and fragments we hear an indistinguishable murmur, only occasionally interrupted by a poem written by the artist. During these resting points the installation is filled with light, until the rooms sink into darkness again and only the glowing material itself can promise some stability and orientation.
We are very pleased that the support by the Ministry for Family, Children, Youth, Culture and Sport of North Rhine-Westphalia as well as the Rheinenergie Culture Foundation and the Luther Church helped us to provide this exceptionally impressive and significant installation within the scope of ON – New Music Cologne. It rarely happens that the components of an artwork fit together so coherently as in this case. The interaction of space, sound and light with the resulting effects on the viewer confer Là-bas… a much greater significance than a mere object would. Whoever faces the challenge will find spaces and opportunities to meditate on the way of thinking, with the occasion of gaining new inspirations. Mastery becomes evident, when art is able to achieve this level of excellence.
Daniel Mennicken
English translation by Maarten Fabini.