Time Piece Stommeln

Although the Synagoge Stommeln is somewhat hidden in a back courtyard, Max Neuhaus’s sound installation acoustically brings it into the center of the Marktplatz. Speakers embedded in the ground play a slow, swelling, and almost imperceptible sound at regular intervals, which then stops abruptly after a few minutes. The very slowly developing sound is perceived subliminally and visitors only first become consciously aware of it when it suddenly ends, leaving behind a sense of quietness. The sound intervals play based on halachic time, which is the rhythm that regulates Jewish prayer times: the time between sunrise and sunset is divided into twelve equal parts that change in length depending on the season. In this way, Max Neuhaus’s Time Piece Stommeln gives the synagogue a voice in the center of the space. It becomes clear that, beyond the church clock tower, there are also other methods of measuring time, which constitute an important aspect of cultural identity.

Video of Time Piece Stommeln: www.max-neuhaus.info/audio-video
Project website for the Synagoge Stommeln: www.synagoge-stommeln.de