Most musicians like to perform so that others can hear their music. But one British death metal band is doing the exact opposite – they’re currently playing in an airtight, soundproof box where no one can hear them. They play until the oxygen runs out, and they run the risk of dying from asphyxiation.
The cube is an art installation by Portuguese artist João Onofre, called ‘Box Sized DIE’. According to the event organizers, Box Sized DIE has toured several European cities before, including Palais de Tokyo in France and MACBA in Spain. This is its first appearance in London. “Inspired by Tony Smith’s pioneering minimalist sculpture Die (1962), the steel box serves as a mobile location for the performance,” said the organizers. “In each location the sculpture travels to, Onofre invites a local Death Metal band to play, on this occasion, Unfathomable Ruination. The box is soundproofed, determining and restricting the performance’s duration to the length of time in which the oxygen is expended.”
The band in question is Unfathomable Ruination, and their bizarre performance is taking place right outside The Gherkin Tower, in London. Their first gig took place on July 3 at 6:00 pm, and, obviously, no one heard a thing. Passersby were curious about the huge cube though, and the strange vibrations that it emitted. They will put their life at risk every week, Wednesday to Friday at 6:00 pm, until August 1, as a part of London’s ‘Sculpture in the City’ exhibition.
“Outside the cube, viewers observe its strange vibrations, only viewing the band’s entrance and exit to the performance stage,” they explained. You’re probably wondering “what’s the point?”. Well, it’s considered art, so who really cares?
