A Childlike Spirit – Pictures Reframed, 2009
There are two layers of understanding Russian composer Modest Musorgsky’s much interpreted suite Pictures at an Exhibition (1874); one requires listening to it as an independent piece of music, isolated from time and space and the other demands a context. Pictures Reframed, a collaboration of pianist Leif Ove Andsnes, visual artist Robin Rhode and lighting designer David Weiner, aims to present both of them simultaneously and also in opposition.
In describing how the project evolved Norwegian pianist Leif Ove Andsnes emphasizes the “childlike spirit” of the entire program. The piano is set in the middle of angularly placed screens on which light falls in geometric patterns. The whole stage looks like a pentagon shaped aquarium. As Andsnes enters the stage and finds his seat in front of the piano the light slowly dims; leaving nothing but his face and fingers visible. The first piece is Musorgsky’s From Memories of Childhood (1865); a semi-peaceful semi-chaotic piece by the Russian composer which he did not quite finish. The piece is in two parts: Nurse and I and First Punishment: Nurse Shuts me in a Dark Room. As the name’s telling the first part passes in harmony and the second runs in a chase. It’s a good setting for Pictures at an Exhibition, which also portrays fluctuating moods.
The child present behind the score now jumps onto the big screen behind the piano and appears in Robin Rhode’s short movie called Kid Candle (2009). Similar to South African artist’s breakthrough work Candle (2009), Kid Candle is about a child who starts by drawing a candle on a paper wall and then lights the charcoal drawn candle. Everything but the drawing and the kid is white so it feels like a real candle lighting up slowly: the image becomes reality. Schumann’s Kinderscenen, Op 15 (1838) follows the screening. It is essential in finalizing the context setting, since it posits a stark contrast to Musorgsky’s music. Schumann’s piece is very organized, harmonious and proceeds as planned. Unlike Musorgsky’s, it does not entail any imagery nor alludes to a particular event. Frankly, it’s a little boring. And I could not make much sense of Thomas Larcher’s What Becomes (2009) which was far too experimental and at times distractive for me. But I am really biased since I went there only to hear Musorgsky and especially focus on Pictures at an Exhibition.
Which brings me to the second layer; Musorgsky’s music independent from historical context. For each part Andsnes plays of Pictures at an Exhibition, Robin Rhodes makes a video. Most videos are made up of slide shows of images so they literally look like pictures at an exhibition.
For Promenade, Rhodes shows Kadet (part 1), 2009. In his words: “the character in the animation represents a youth on a path of self discovery, his feet grounded onto cubes that truncate as they shift through space.”
For Gnomus, Rhodes’ video called Wire Ballet (2009) depicts wires falling from the ceiling with each drum toll.
For the 2nd Promenade, we’re back to the Kadet and his struggle with the cubes. And his struggle takes different shapes for the following Promenades.
Rhodes’ symbolism continues with images of a Chalk Piano, ballerina lines made by a compass (Tribi) and ends with a moving image of a drowning piano. As I’ve said in the beginning the project’s light and imagery design makes you feel like the stage and you with it are under the water. The final image of a piano continuing to play under water reiterates the whole discourse. The flowing water symbolizes, in Rhodes’ words, ”purging history”: “Once totally submerged the piano becomes a kind of lost treasure beneath the ocean. The piano as object becomes an antiquity of our time that at first has been hidden and then finally is discovered before our eyes.”
To finish it off I’d like to add below my own version of Pictures at an Exhibition. I think they suit the Promenade well. This is me in Meatpacking District, NY.
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