A mystical, ritual performance at the Church of Santa Maria di Nazareth was given by Patti Smith together with the Soundwalk Collective, as part of the official opening of the Holy See Pavilion of the Vatican at the 61st Venice Biennale.
The half-hour-long event, organised in collaboration with Onassis Culture, comprised three works created especially for the occasion. The texts and hymns sung by the eminent American singer-songwriter were by Saint Hildegard of Bingen, a 12th-century Benedictine nun, poet, healer and composer.
Her monastery is in Germany and remains active. Thirty nuns follow her teachings, sing and cultivate its gardens. Hildegard of Bingen and her oeuvre have been a source of inspiration for many composers, musicians and singers. She is one of the best-known composers of sacred monophonic music and the most frequently recorded in modern history.
The event took place within the exhibition of the Holy See Pavilion of the Vatican, entitled “The Ear is the Eye of the Soul”. The concept of this exhibition dovetails perfectly with Koyo Kouoh’s curatorial proposal for this year’s Biennale, which is about slowing the pace and tuning in to a quieter register.
Accordingly, in this pavilion it takes the form of a sonic prayer. It is an invitation to the contemplative act of listening, inspired by the life and legacy of Saint Hildegard of Bingen.
