Janet Cardiff: Forty-Part Motet
Organized by the National Gallery of Canada
March 4, 2016 – September 25, 2016
This brilliant sound sculpture by Canadian artist Janet Cardiff is a reworking of Spem in Alium by Thomas Tallis, a 16th-century English composer. Forty separately-recorded choir voices are played back through 40 speakers positioned around the gallery.
Described as “achingly beautiful” (The New Yorker) and “transcendent” (The New York Times), this presentation will offer Museum visitors on the Gulf Coast the rare opportunity to experience a major artwork of our time. Artist Janet Cardiff has noted of the piece: “Even in a live concert the audience is separated from the individual voices. Only the performers are able to hear the person standing next to them singing a different harmony. I wanted to be able to climb inside the music.”
This exhibition was organized by The National Gallery of Canada. Its installation at the Mobile Museum of Art is presented by PNC. Additional support is provided by the city of Mobile, Alabama State Council on the Arts, National Endowment for the Arts and Dr. Bree Hayes (Board Member, Mobile Symphony Orchestra).
Access to this exhibition requires a $5 special exhibition ticket and a museum admission ticket for adults, seniors, and members. Children under 6 are free and students with student ID or school groups are $3 per person in addition to museum admission.
