Ben Landau is aware that the idea of humming for 24 hours straight is a little “ridiculous.”
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The piece of performance art will run as part of Mona Foma, with festival-goers encouraged to drop in and take part for however long they feel like.
There will also be two additional workshops this weekend, on Sunday December 9 at the John Hart Conservatory from 2pm to 4pm, and Monday December 10 at the Hillwood Road Meditation Skills Centre from 6pm to 8pm – children welcome.
He’s held the 24-hour iteration once before, in Melbourne, where the humming was frequently interrupted by outbreaks of giggles.
“It is so strange – when you’re in a room at 3am with six other people humming.
“It is a ridiculous thing, and in that way it’s a weird, cool bonding thing.
“It’s for play, experimentation, and fun, and a little bit of inquiry – and it’s also a bit of a joke.”
The deeper idea behind it is to engage people in a task that is “useless”: a rebellion against the entrenched notion in a capitalist society that we need to be forever undertaking productive tasks until we die.
The piece is actually part of Landau’s PhD on participatory performance, looking at moments when people come together and take part in something as a group. The 24-hour stint will run unbroken, which creates a link between all of the participants as they collectively create and continue the project.
It’s also just really fun.
“Through the reverberations and vibrations through your body, it’s an incredible feeling,” Landau said.
“There’s very little risk, and there’s a possibility for a lot of reward in terms of the feeling in your body, relaxing your mind, and connecting with other people in this really weird but rewarding way.
“It’s a shared sound that we’re all responsible for together.”
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