In a 45-minute-long meditative sound piece performed for an intimate audience on three consecutive mornings at the Top of the Rock, the Rockefeller Center’s observation deck, architect Andrés Jaque and his Office for Political Innovation invited spectators to sensorially experienced the interconnection of the city and the countryside, buildings and nature. 
Set up 850 feetabove Fifth Avenue, in this epic achievement of the WPA era that offers sweeping views of Manhattan and its periphery, the performance examined the complex history of construction in New York. 
Gathered at dawn, the audience was invited to “attune” with their environment and study the city’s skyline, from its early skyscrapers downtown to the rise of post-war glass towers and the more recent “pencil towers.”Curated by Charles Aubin, Senior Curator & Head of Publications.

ALL CREDITS:

Andrés Jaque (Office for Political Innovation): Being Silica is supported by Toby Devan Lewis, the Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts, the National Endowment for the Arts, a grant from Acción Cultural Española (AC/E), and the Spanish Cultural Services, Consulate of Spain New York City.

In collaboration with Paula Vilaplana and José Luis Espejo

With the special participation of Doug Crowghost, Ray Kemble, Vera Scroggins, and Simone TwoShields

Research:Andrés Jaque, Eno Chen, María Alejandra Linares, Jesse McCormick, Marcos Mouronte, Paula Vilaplana

Scientific Advisors:Wojciech Gajek, Ryan Schultz

Text Editing:Walter Ancarrow, Mariana Fernández

Sound:José Luis Espejo

Music:José Venditti

Field Recordings:Guillaume Capsowl Voisin, José Luis Espejo

Seismic Records:Wojciech GajekModels:VILAKANG (Chije Kang, Paula Vilaplana)

Video Editing:Romke Hoogwaerts

Studio Recordings:John Bravebull, Joseph Hazan

Technical Direction:André Ferreira

Scenic Lead:JD Fontanella

Audio Engineer:Vincent Dee

Lighting Technician:Edward Charrette

Assistant Audio Technicians:Heidi Lorentz, Mike Nelson

Stage Hand:Corey Hucks

Production Assistant:Andres Barbosa

Music for Being Silica by Andrés Jaque_Excerpt

José Venditti