Inspiring them to look at sounds in new ways, The Kaiser Chiefs have brought together works by international sound artists that they have discovered on their travels to display in an exhibition at York Art Gallery.
The band have created a silent show that explores light, colour and projected lyrics to create a mesmerizing environment that offers visitors a different experience of a live music show.
The exhibition is taking place between 14th December to 10th March 2018. They carefully selected a set list of songs in response to works from York Art Gallery’s collection.
Janet Cardiff’s ‘The Forty Part Motet’, which is the collection, will be featured alongside the sound of a 40-part choir singing in harmony through 40 individual speakers chosen by the Leeds band. Janet Cardiff’s evocative ‘The Forty Part Motet’ allows people to walk through an oval of speakers to hear a reworking of Thomas Tallis’ Spem in Alium Nunquam Habui, from the singers’ point of view.
Kaiser Chiefs selected the sound installation due to its relevance to how they hear their own music while performing.
Reyahn King, the Executive of York Art Gallery said, “It is really a unique exhibition, an experimental exhibition, that is used to explore boundaries with art and music. It’s inspired the band to think about sound in new ways. We want to get the public to look really hard and long at our work because our work like any good thing, takes time to enjoy. It’s a fantastic learning experience. The band have also done a silent gig created especially for the exhibition and selected a set list of songs. It’s an exhibition you will have to come back to”.
Other highlights include: The short film Fiorucci Made Me Hardcore by Mark Leckey and the Turner Prize winning work The Woolworth’s Choir of 1979 by Elizabeth Price.