ASEM Cultural Festival: 2018 | Singing Masks

An innovative art installation highlighting the real and imaginary boundaries between Europe and Asia.

Digital-musical installation Thursday, 18 October 2018 Horta Hall, BOZAR Brussels, Belgium

Since 1990 the artist Honoré d’O (1961 Oudenaarde, Belgium) has been exploring a multidimensional and innovative language in the form of organically built installations that always fit in their surrounding architecture. His ephemeral work invites the viewer to make a mental walk, next to the literal one, and to define a route throughout his compositions towards the wonder of the real. 

After many travels to and exhibitions in China, Japan and Korea, the artist understood that the similarities between Asia and Europe are sometimes less outspoken as one may think. Different societal and cultural codes are built on similar concerns for our habitat and life in general. With his new installation, according to the architecture of the Horta Hall, Honoré d’O questions the legitimate and imaginary borders between East and West by breaking with each frame of references that we use to define our position and relationship towards the other and the whole. Therefore, he shapes a new world that transcends these borders between East and West, South and North and embraces the Universe and every molecule in its entirety. 

L’Etat Iconoclastique des Choses uses the symbol of the mask as Leitmotiv. Masks are universal ready-mades referring to the complex identity each individual is made of. They deal with notions of collectivism and individualism, health, danger and protection, the invisible left or right. They are at the same time thesis and antithesis, dialogue and monologue. Masks appear in every aspect of everybody’s life. The permanent flux of images and sound in the installation is a subtle reminder of the fragility of things and a refined criticism on the power of perception, that still clings too much to the material object, noise in the artist’s search for a more comfortable humanity.

Artist: Honoré d’O (Belgium)

Music: Sun*Sun*Sun String Orchestra

Pipa: Liu Fang

Soprano: Nadlada Thamtanakom

Read HERE our interview with artist Honoré d’O s he shares his experience in creating this spellbinding inter-disciplinary work.

The event is part of ASEM Cultural Festival 2018, CLICK HERE for the full programme.