RAPTURE – Camille Norment

Nordic Pavilion, 56th Venice Biennial of Art (2015), Giardini Biennale, Venice
Curated by KATYA GARCÍA-ANTÓN
Commissioned by OCA – Office for Contemporary Art Norway

Exhibition Design, Art Production & Management

Norment’s ‘Rapture’ is a site-specific, sculptural and sonic installation in the Nordic Pavilion, for which the American-born, Oslo-based artist has composed new music on the glass armonica – a legendary 18th-century instrument that creates ethereal music from glass and water.
In a contemporary context, Norment explored the tensions this music raises today by creating a multi-sensory space, which reflects upon the history of sound, contemporary concepts of consonance and dissonance, and the water, glass and light of Venice. The artist composed a chorus of voices that correspond to the unresolved notes of the much censored “devil’s” tritone and of the glass armonica, and this chorus immerses visitors to ‘Rapture’.

Throughout the run of la Biennale di Venezia, Norment perfomed new compositions on the glass armonica and invited artists and musicians to participate in a series of performances that echo elements in the installation.

‘Rapture’ is commissioned by the Office for Contemporary Art Norway (OCA) and curated by its Director Katya García-Antón, in collaboration with OCA’s Senior Programmer Antonio Cataldo.

The performances are co-produced by OCA, nyMusikk and Ultima – Oslo Contemporary Music Festival.

More about the exhibition:
Artist’s official website: https://www.norment.net/work/objects-installations-ind/rapture/
https://www.oca.no/press/releases/8509/norway-at-la-biennale-di-venezia_2015
https://www.designboom.com/art/camille-norment-nordic-pavilion-venice-art-biennale-2015-05-14-2015/

Photos:
OCA
Matteo da Fina
Camille Norment Studio
M+B Studio