Sjel – Norwegian word for soul or essence
Why the Sjel?
In order to give the listener the true essence of the album Coral Dusk, to get as close as possible to sharing some of that solitude and silence in which the album was created in the Scandinavian surroundings of pure nature, Patricia Vanneste has created together with architect Sam De Bock, the Sohnarr Sjel, an impressive art installation cube. The Sjel is a shelter, a quiet haven but also a reference to the shell we leave behind and where we let go of what we know and who we are. Its mirrored walls seem to melt into its surroundings in nature and the last thing you see upon entering the Sjel is also what you leave behind that same moment: yourself.
Inside the Sjel, you can find shelter by taking a seat and listening to the music of Coral Dusk whilst staring outside through its one window. There won’t be a more honest listening experience of Coral Dusk than inside the Sjel where solitude meets unity, where the invisible becomes visible.
What's the Sjel?
The Sohnarr Sjel is a cube of 3x3x3m to be found in unspoilt nature. The installation has mirrored glass on the outside and a door. Once inside, you will find a seating place in front of a large window and an integrated sound system playing the music of the Coral Dusk album.
The Sjel embodies a variety of questions and wonderings about the creation of music and its true essence, its quest, its making of - but it also touches on how we experience music and whether its presentation and the surrounding settings in which we take in the music, reinforce or weaken that power of perception.
Can you make what's invisible, visible?
The Sjel's mirrored outer shell creates the illusion of invisibility as the installation seemingly blends in with nature and almost melts into its surroundings. It triggers and intrigues you to a point where you almost hàve to step inside where maybe there are answers to be found. Only when you're inside the Sjel, you will understand its essence and your place within. Inside the Sjel you will hear the music, the invisible will become visible.
Losing self awareness, and finding the act of merging
Stepping into the Sjel means leaving yourself at the door. Your own reflection in the mirrored surface is the last thing you see and the first thing that disappears once you've entered the installation. You have now opened yourself up to be merged. Through the large window you observe what you're merging with; full nature, without being observed yourself. You have fully stepped away from yourself in order to feel. This is the source, the place where the Coral Dusk music comes from.
The power of true solitude and absence of human presence so you can find connection
The Sohnarr Sjel encourages to set off alone into nature and offers an option to get close to an important driving source of music. It's an invitation for the listener as well to step away from oneself, to leave self awareness behind for a brief moment and to really get close to nature thereby creating space for the music you will hear, to fully resonate with your true self. Patricia Vanneste invites you, through the Sohnarr Sjel, to discover the music in absolute aloneness which will lead to the experience of togetherness. It's an invitation to listen to music differently. The Sohnarr Sjel dissolves that duality of solitude and together and fades the line between what's visible and invisible.
Discover the Sjel
Natuurpunt Vlaanderen came on board to offer a unique and exclusive listening experience to discover Coral Dusk by placing the Sjel in their beautiful nature reserves in the spring of 2020 leading up to the album release on 15 May 2020.
Since then, several other locations have followed: Connecterra (Maasmechelen), garden of Broelkaai 6 (Kortrijk), Stadsbegraafplaats Leuven, Zinderende Stilte festival (Mechelen).
New locations are continuously screened and added to the Sjel journey. More information about exact locations, directions and hiking maps on the link below.
Pictures
Press
Technical details
dimensions: 3 x 3 x 3m
weight: 4 tons
transport: flat bed truck with crane so terrain needs to be accessible and passable for such vehicle, where needed : placement of steel rubbing plates.
fully self-sufficient energetically. electrical power supplied by solar panelling. system can be connected to power circuit where applicable/required (e.g. indoor location).
thermically and accoustically insulated
to be placed in guarded areas or locations without history of vandalism.
sound installation (BOSE) and its controller integrated in the Sjel walls.
Sjel for "Shell" - English for casing, for an outer layer, the need to shed your skin to find the essence