Music and lights to mourn by

Posted at 2:25 PM on February 8, 2011 by Marianne Combs (0 Comments)
Filed under: Museums, Music, Sculpture

A detail of the installation of The Mourners, on display at the Minneapolis Institute of Arts
Image by Charles Walbridge

Upon beholding the 38 alabaster sculptures of "The Mourners" at the Minneapolis Institute of Arts, it's hard not to feel yourself transported to an ancient cathedral, to hear the chants of the mourners themselves as they process.

Oh wait - that's not my imagination - there's music playing in the gallery!

In fact, considering that they're funerary sculptures, it's suprising what a celebration these somber characters have inspired.

In conjunction with the seven city, U.S. national tour of the tomb sculptures from the Court of Burgundy, The Rose Ensemble has put together an original music program featuring works from the Courts of the Burgundian Dukes on themes of death and mourning in French, Latin and English. The ensemble will perform on February 18, 19 and 20 at the Basilica of Saint Mary.

In addition to the music program, the diminuitive figures have also inspired their own light show. A projection of the mourner statues is illuminated at night on the façade of The Basilica of Saint Mary through February 19th, and for the Rose Ensemble's candlelight concerts artist Ali Momeni will orchestrate an elaborate visual display of the mourner statues using six different projectors.

A detail of the installation of The Mourners, on display at the Minneapolis Institute of Arts
Image by Charles Walbridge

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