E Belgrano & M Price: Vigil (overnight)

Elisabeth Laasonen Belgrano & Mark D. Price: Ornamentation in the Shadows of Death

The form of the ‘vigil’ may seem strange outside of religious ritual or shows of socio-political solidarity. But to our way of thinking there is a paradoxically ‘urgent need for patience’ in any serious exploration of Death. A different approach is needed. Unlike the didactics of a lecture or conference paper, a research vigil involves remaining awake to other possibilities – awaiting whatever ‘other’ makes itself visible and audible in a dialogue irreducible to ‘active performers’ and a ‘passive audience’. We hope to negotiate with whatever necessary silences, free improvisations, and contrary responses the vigil might generate. Vital encounters can not be planned in advance. In this sense a vigil is the opposite of a ritual. With ritual there a profound over-determination of methods and what is expected as ‘the outcome’. This research is a night- journey and our hope is that the discipline of remaining patient and alert to nuances will allow an exploration of the liminal zones between knowledge and non-knowledge, voyage and destination, with songs and words and silences honoring both life and death.

On-line EXPO “VOICES of NOTHINGNESS” (from the Book of Lamentations, set to music by Michel Lambert 1610-1689): https://www.researchcatalogue.net/view/364135/738840

This will run approximately 22:00-06:00 and will include 9 intra-active lessons – one starting every hour. Duration for each lesson will depend on participants, but should not be longer than 40 min each one. You can come and go during the night but booking is required.