Spathiphyllum’s Supreme Silence

About

“This string quartet is part of a continuous exploration over several months around the textures, forms, and almost imperceptible movements of the world around us. Spathiphyllum’s Supreme Silence was born from my sustained observation of the eponymous plant. Under different lights, at various times of day, its movements remain invisible to me; yet it never ceases to grow, open, and unfold. Silent, it seemed impossible to me that the unfurling of its leaves, the absorption of water by its roots, the nodding of its white bracts, and the friction of its stems would produce no sound. This curious, almost naive contemplation opened my imagination, and I conceived a gradual development, with almost impalpable contours but in constant motion, inspired by this silent world. There is a delightful pleasure in orchestrating sounds that I imagine are produced, without being able to hear them. Setting this phenomenon to music stems from a desire to bear witness to the beauty, real or dreamed, that nature offers to our eyes and senses.”



Clara Olivares, October 2021