… imagine for a minute I just posted a blog with nothing on it. Just white empty space, what are you thinking. She forgot to post? there has been a technical issue? maybe she doesn’t realise? Then maybe I post another, now your thinking, this is strange? why isn’t she writing anything? is there a point to this? am I supposed to imagine what she is posting about?

Well that’s exactly what I was thinking when I heard John Cage’s “piece” which was a musical piece with no sound. At first I couldn’t help but laugh the idea seems ridiculous and pretentious. Like selling at artwork with nothing on it, for me I used to think this was just lay and uncreative but that is just because I’m looking at it from the top level so to speak. I have later realised it’s something you have to look at in a whole new light look to a deeper level, forget about all you preconceived ideas and open your mind.

When you are asked to listen to a musical performance you are focused so intently on the composition and the musician. So when we take away the sound we are left with something quite confusing and unsettling, but also quite inspiring. We are forced to listen to anything else, shuffles, giggles, murmurs, creeks, typing, movements. The focus of our hearing is so powerful because now we are listening to anything and everything. For the longer we sit in this uncomfortable silence the more you hone in to sounds you could hear before such as your own bodily functions.

I imagine what it would be life for audiences when listening to John Cage’s 4 minute and 33 second piece. Where a scene is set, people were at a concert grand piano on stage, performer walks in opens piano and sits there. It must’ve been pretty confronting to audiences, with people shuffling in a state of confusion and discomfort. I imagine the whole scene and setting would’ve been very strange and people would question what was going on. I think if I was there it would take me a while to realise that this was the piece and he wasn’t just getting ready to start it.

I was curious to know more about John Cage and who he felt about silence so I watched this video and it was fascinating, to see from his perspective the way he views the world and the sounds around him. It’s a strange concept to grasp but something that I think the more your open to it the more in life you will take in and experience if you allow your mind to wander.