Sum of Days, an environmental and participatory installation by the Brazilian artist Carlito Carvalhosa (born 1961), is a complex, elliptical network of pathways through a structure of translucent white fabric. This engaging structure in the Marron Atrium, and the experience of immersion it creates, evoke a heightened perception of the surrounding space. A system of microphones hang at various heights and record ambient noise; each day’s sound is combined with the previous days’ recordings and played back through several speakers inside the structure. As each new layer of audio is added, the oldest noises gradually diminish into whispers, part of an auditory condensation that builds up throughout the duration of the exhibition. As its title suggests, Sum of Days thus constitutes a layering of time—an immaterial auditory record of the sound inherent in everyday experience.
Musical performances, each sixty to ninety minutes long, take place weekly in the installation between September 8 and November 10. The performers are Lisa Bielawa, David Crowell, Jon Gibson, Philip Glass, Carla Kihlstedt, Michael Riesman, Mick Rossi, and Andrew Sterman. Times are announced via MoMA’s Twitter account (@MuseumModernArt) on the day of the event. The piano is provided by Steinway & Sons.
