Transitory Sound and Movement Collective explores the sound of silence
For six years, the Transitory Sound and Movement Collective has encouraged dialogue by way of artistic expression, presenting multidisciplinary projects rooted in experiential knowledge and improvisational response.
On July 7, the contemporary dance and experimental music collective will begin a new conversation — one revolving around silence.
Inspired by his way of life as a longtime Quaker, founding artistic director and sound artist Lynn Lane will reunite with two frequent collaborators, Miami-based violinist Carson Marshall and choreographer Annie Arnoult, to launch a 12-part series at the Live Oak Friends Meeting House in the Heights. Settling into a reflective mindset, the trio will not so silently examine perceptions of silence and whether such a thing truly exists, playing off each other in ways that will shape moments of both harmony and discord.
“In Quaker practice, we sit in silence, consciously listening, and you hear people shuffling. You hear the sounds outside, cars going by, and so what we define as silence may not truly be silence,” Lane says. “If someone is moved to say something, they stand up and say whatever message they’re wanting to convey. There’s a period of consideration, and then it moves onto continued silence or someone else may be moved to say something, and that’s kind of how this will be.”
Featuring a changing cast of sound and movement artists from across the country, the series, titled “A Conversation on Silence,” will consist of one hourlong program per month over the next year and will continue to evolve throughout. As the performers engage with their surroundings, moving among an intimate crowd both sonically and physically, they bring their own soundscape of thoughts to the table and expound upon one another’s previous contributions — what Lane, who will be playing a variety of percussion instruments, equates to catching up with old friends over coffee.
“If we got together today and
did this piece, more than likely, it would be a vastly different piece than it’s going to be on July 7, because we’ll be in a different state of mind at that point,” he says. “What’s exciting about this, to me, is that complete freedom to see what happens.”
The Thursday evening performance is intentionally set to take place around sunset, so weather permitting, the ensemble will open the ceiling hatch of the meeting house, one of over 80 skyspaces designed by James Turrell. Growing up in a Quaker community, the acclaimed artist developed a fascination with light, which would become his primary
medium, and his experience with it, which influenced his spiritual journey. The Quaker movement, formally known as the Religious Society of Friends, was founded by Englishman George Fox in the 1640s with the guiding principle of the “light within,” which for an unprogrammed congregation is observed by gathering in stillness while allowing those who feel inspired to share audibly to do so.
There are varying ways of Quaker worship, just as there may be an assortment of elicited responses during any given meeting. Similarly, it is the intrigue of life’s nuances that drives the exploratory nature
of the Transitory Sound and Movement Collective.
“My Quaker practice influences my work and the way that I approach my work,” says Lane, who was first exposed to Quakerism while taking a philosophy of religion course at Texas A&M University, where he studied architecture and landscape architecture before earning his bachelor’s degree in fine arts and film from the University of North Texas.
The first meeting he attended was in Manhattan, where he lived for nearly 20 years; when he returned to his hometown of Houston over a decade ago, he joined the Live Oak Friends Meeting House. “It’s an integral part of who I am, so it affects the way I look at everything in my life,” he says. “It helps me center in this chaotic world that we live in.”
Aligning with his beliefs, Lane leads his collective with a vision of nurturing an inclusive and diverse community. The performance is another step forward, as the artists explore a relatable longing for reprieve and seek a place of quiet rest in a space that inspires just that.