Speaking In Tongues (Venice Biennale)

Paul Benney’s epic painting, ‘Speaking in Tongues’, together with an extraordinary holophonic sound installation, will be presented during the 2017 Venice Art Biennale, in the church of San Gallo, just a few steps from St Mark’s Square, Venice, Italy.
In this work, Benney brings together twelve of his contemporaries to individually express a spiritual awakening—a state of grace. He seeks to demonstrate that a singular piece of art can promote an understanding between disparate ideologies and engagement in a shared spiritual dialogue. ‘Speaking in Tongues’ resonates powerfully with the underlying theme of the 57th Venice Biennale, which the Chief Curator, Christine Macel, has titled ‘Viva Arte Viva’, and its emphasis on reflection, spirituality, and humanism.
At first and from afar the viewer encounters a quiet murmuring reminiscent of prayer or confession. As the visitor moves around the exhibition space the murmuring is interrupted; through the use of holophonic sound focusing technology, by the clearly discernible monologue of each subject; the effect being as though the individual voices are uncannily experienced as aural hallucinations.
The ‘Reliquary’ series, consisting of two triptychs, will appear alongside ‘Speaking In Tongues’ and form an important part of this installation. They re-emphasise the spiritual metaphor of the flame as a representation of the human spirit.