Retreat

24 hours of unbroken humming

Retreat is a sigh of exasperation that blends all grievances into a hum.
Retreat is for every reason and no reason.
Retreat reaffirms how great it can be when people spend time in each other’s company.
Retreat is a blank protest.
Retreat is affective and ineffective.
Retreat is time out.
Retreat absorbs and reflects, is a call and a response.
Retreat is completely unproductive.
Retreat is something anyone can do.

Retreat was performed at Brunswick Mechanics Institute, Melbourne 2018 and MONA FOMA, Launceston, 2019.

 For 24 hours, an assembly of strangers will help carry one unbroken hum.

 A steady hum emanates from within building. Seated informally in a broken circle are people from nearby, gently humming. Anyone can join at any time. The reverberations bounce off the walls and envelop the participants. One person leaves, then two people join from outside. Someone will be here from noon to noon, humming.

Although it may seem like a spiritual event or a sit in protest, this gathering is not affiliated with one cause, even though people may project their own cause onto it. They are rising to a task – born of nothing but fatigue – to help keep a hum going for 24 hours. The many vibrations combine into one reverberation.

Media:

The Age

The Age (images)

The Urban List (interview)

The Urban List (video)

Channel 7

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