Artwork
A Song of Silence
by Muhannad Shono
The installation draws inspiration from the mythic destiny of the archangel Israfel, who is tasked with blowing the trumpet that will signal the resurrection. In Shono's narrative, the anxious angel, having never played an instrument, secretly rehearses in a forest. His first nervous note accidentally silences and extinguishes all surrounding life. Stricken with grief, he plays a second, mournful song of regret that restores and resurrects the forest. He then breaks his apocalyptic trumpet, replacing it with a simple, humble tree branch. The physical manifestation of this story is a dramatic, undulating structure composed of 400 heavily charred, black-painted palm stems (fronds) combined with Japanese paper. It was installed sweeping through the interior of the historic Stadtcasino Basel in Switzerland, creating a striking juxtaposition between fluid organic forms and structured heritage architecture.
- Event / exhibition
- Parcours Art Basel 2022
- Location
- Stadtcasino Basel, Switzerland
- Year
- 2022
Our involvement
Our team members were involved in the execution of A Song of Silence through their professional engagements with the fabricators and subcontracting organizations involved in the project at the time, during their tenure as employees. Their involvement included supporting the fabrication, coordination, and installation of the artwork, contributing to the technical execution and on-site realization of the artist’s vision.
