Selected music creator for the 2023 Picture Gallery Composer-in-Residence Scheme

About the installation piece

Thud! An old farmer’s hat fell to the ground, it could have been blown off in the wind, or it just couldn’t keep up with the hat owner’s head while they hurried to an emergency. Riviere captures this comical moment with ornithological details as the geese debate whether they may pass with safety. Each goose expresses their feeling under this “anxious moment” so uniquely that we can almost make out their personalities. Some geese on the left waddle past it, hugging the wall, some craning their necks upwards, looking for the traces of the hat owner, and some honking behind the crowd, anticipating with great curiosity. Nevertheless, every goose is trying to squeeze through to get a front-row seat looking at the scene.

Although the “human” expressions shown on these geese called up a humorous, endearing feeling, this composition approaches it from a different perspective, echoing the artwork conversely by connecting human sounds with “geese” expressions. While the geese are debating over the fallen hat, human voices from around the world seem to possess a similar characteristic. From climate change and abortion, to cultures and war, endless honks and hisses are shouted out both in and out of political settings while keeping a distance from the deeper issues. This sound design does not aim to explain the truth or express a political standpoint, but simply blurs the line that separates the flock of self-centered humans, from this flock of geese.

Warning This music includes loud, sudden sounds and sound of gunshots that may be triggering for some individuals. If experienced in a live event setting, for assistance, please see a staff member from the Picture Gallery to be escorted until the end of this performance.