to lull and by[e]

you there in my lap

I am showing you how to be 
 1

sleep, you

[…] sleep, you 2



you, lying in the cradle,

for whom I have no porridge

and no milk either
 3

[1. Untitled, Australia
 
2. Gjendines Bådnlåt, Norway 
3. Dormite, Mi Niño, Venezuela]

Songs that are used to lull children to sleep often seem to serve another purpose as well: to express the worries of the singer (usually the mother). The 'recipient' of the song does not yet speak a language and is soothed by a familiar voice, rocking rhythm and melancholy melody. Meanwhile, the ‘giver’ of the song can give voice to their own doubts and troubles in the lyrics.

I am developing a new work on the darkness within lullabies. The work currently consists of an installation in which the (singing) voice, new combinations of original lullaby lyrics, and shadow imagery of mother and daughter come together.

I have written an essay on this subject for Mister Motley:
De grens tussen moeder en maker is flinterdun - Over slaapliedjes als dragers van duisternis

Anika Mariam Ahmed wrote a text about my residency at Kunsthuis SYB, where I developed this work:
Singing the unspeakable

installation/lecture-performance
projection of video and photography moving through a space & voice
size variable
2023