Silent Sound

Silent Sound is an epic performance and installation project, first presented by A Foundation during the Liverpool Biennial in 2006.
It is a uniquely emotive experience which taps into the framework of Victorian public performance to explore the mind's susceptibility to subliminal suggestion.
The performance took place in the Small Concert Hall at St. George's Hall in Liverpool, where in 1865 The Davenport Brothers had performed their public seance act on the same stage. During Silent Sound the artists are seated inside a soundproof booth, inspired by the Davenport's 'Spirit Cabinet'. In unison, they repeat a secret phrase and using heir custom-made Silent Sound Machine this statement attempts to be subliminally embedded into a music recital. The original score for Silent Sound was composed by J. Spaceman (aka Jason Pierce from the band Spiritualized). The performance was introduced by parapsychologist Dr. Ciaran O'Keeffe.
Silent Sound was installed for Art Positions at Art Basel Miami Beach 2007 in a shipping container on the beach, and was described by the New York Times as "“one of the fair’s biggest word-of-mouth hits”.
More information about the performance: iainandjane.com/work/live-art/silent-sound-live/
More information about the installation: iainandjane.com/work/installation/silent-sound/