The Sound of Silence

The spring show of the New York University Abu Dhabi Art Gallery features five immersive audio-visual installations by renown Swiss artist Zimoun. Curated by Maya Allison, the exhibition includes a major new commission of an expansive room-sized installation and four site-specific adaptions of the artist’s previous works, uniquely adapted to the Gallery. Each work incorporates a sound and sculptural component with a core of everyday objects, including a motor, a cotton ball and a cardboard box to fill large quantities of available gallery space.

658 prepared dc-motors, cotton balls, cardboard boxes, 70 x 70 x 70 cm
Courtesy of Studio Zimoun

The NYUAD Art Gallery commissioned the new work, 510 Prepared DC-Motors, 2142m Rope, Wooden Sticks 20 cm which fills the 20-meter-deep central space of the Gallery. The other site-specific insallations each represent a substantial evolution from past works. Each is an amalgamation of sight, sound and movement designed to challenge and fascinate each viewer.

Zimoun
Courtesy of Studio Zimoun, Photo by Martin Moell

During his two weeks in residence in the UAE while installing his works, Zimoun visited the desert. He related that experience to his work by commenting, “During my time here installing this show, I spent the weekend in the desert. I was struck by its quality of silence. When it is that silent, it changes how we listen. That kind of listening, as if listening to silence, is in fact what my own work is about, although the installations make sound.”