The exhibition Silence at the Cité des Sciences et de l'Industrie in Paris, running until August 31, 2025, examines both the cosmic and terrestrial dimensions of sound. It opens with the misconception of the Big Bang as an explosive noise, highlighting the inherent connection between sound and matter. Featuring insights from British writer Sara Maitland, the exhibition contemplates silence as a rich mental space rather than just an absence. It tackles the dual nature of noise, revealing its harmful effects and subjective interpretations, inviting visitors to reflect on what silence means in an increasingly noisy world.
The exhibition explores how sound levels have risen on Earth over the past century, meditating on what we lose as hubbub displaces silence.
Sara Maitland's reflection highlights that silence can be a rich space, not merely the absence of sound, countering our usual definitions.
The line between positive and negative noise is subjective, revealing that silence can be weaponized, while excessive noise poses health risks.
The Big Bang's misnomer as a loud explosion underscores humanity’s struggle to conceive a Universe without sound, redefining silence past its negative connotations.
Collection
[
|
...
]