This piece is called the "Temple of One Thousand Bells" by Laura Belém. The bells themselves are made from hand-blown glass by local artisans and hung on nylon strings. They were hung from the ceiling above a bench and had a surround sound system with an audio piece accompany the bells. The surround sound system played a story told about a temple filled with 1,000 bells. The story was inter cut with sounds of the ocean and calming music. This is the second time the artist created a piece like this, the first being at the Liverpool Biennial in 2010. The piece was made in Raleigh by many local artists who hand blew each individual bell. Laura Belém created the audio piece and arranged the bells in the museum.
The initial focus of this piece is the bells that are hanging from the ceiling, which is what attracts the attention of people from a distance, but the main focus of the piece is the audio story that accompanied the bells. The story was about an island that sank into the sea, and on the island was a temple with one thousand bells. Then a sailor went in search of the island to try and hear the bells from deep in the ocean. The story is about loss, and focusing oneself to gain clarity. The whole focus of the art piece is on serenity and peace, and that is something that really resonates with me.
The art is organized to be centered above a bench that visitors can sit on. The whole piece is very bright and has lots of light shining through it which creates a happier feeling in the viewer. The accompanying audio piece is played through surround sound speakers on each side of the bells. Since the story told through the speakers is interspersed with peaceful music and the sound of waves, the entire work has a calming vibe on the audience.
The purpose of this piece of artwork is to show people inevitability. The island was doomed to sink into the sea, and there was nothing that anyone could do to save it. This is applicable to a lot of things in life that no one has control over, and people need to recognize that there are some things out of their control. At the same time, the piece has a reassuring effect on the audience due to the light, soft music and general white coloring of the art. The piece also has an encouraging effect on the viewer because of the sailor's persistence in attempting to hear the music of the one thousand bells from below the ocean. This makes the audience believe that they are able to overcome their problems if they work hard, and this gives the audience hope that their life will be successful.
Overall, I quite enjoyed the entire CAM exhibit. I did not understand a lot of the art that I observed, but I liked most of the pieces. I particularly enjoyed the Temple of One Thousand Bells, the Atlas that had been rubbed with sandpaper, the wall that had been ripped apart, and the video screen that reacted when someone moved in front of it. The feeling of the entire exhibit seemed to be that of melancholy, and regret for lost times. Several of the pieces dealt with American prejudices, such as homosexuality or immigration. I would like to go on more field trips like this one.
The "Temple of One Thousand Bells" stood out to me as well. This is because I had never seen a piece of art that is quite this interactive. You have the hanging bells which is art by itself, but you also have the eerie music and the strange story. Not to mention it is designed for us to sit directly underneath it. I thought it was a cool exhibit, but I thought it was very strange. I did not get the chance to interpret the piece because I had trouble hearing the story and was completely confused. It wasn't until I read your blog that I realized just how peaceful and calming the piece actually was. The whole idea is accepting things that you can't change, and I personally feel like that concept has kept me calm and tranquil in many worrisome situations. There is a saying that I love that relates to this piece perfectly: "God give me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference..." Good job Steven!
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