The Seattle Art Museum is pleased to present Veils and Vesper, a sound environment by the celebrated composer John Luther Adams.

"My music is profoundly influenced by the natural world and a strong sense of place. Through deep and sustained listening to the subtle resonances of the northern soundscape, I hope to explore the territory of 'sonic geography', that region between place and culture, between environment and imagination."

Veils and Vesper is a meditative soundscape that will traverse the entire length of the Venturi staircase. It is composed of three Veils and one Vesper in rising and falling arrangements that bleed into another, a single cycle unfolds over the course of six hours. This subtle chromatic landscape changes step by step and provides viewers with an immersive, contemplative sound experience. The installation opens to the public on June 14 and can be explored for seven days, closing June 21.

This unique sound environment will lead up to the premiere of John Luther Adams’ new symphonic work, Become Ocean, at the Seattle Symphony on June 20.

—Catharina Manchanda, Jon and Mary Shirley Curator of Modern and Contemporary Art

John Luther Adams, photo by Donald Lee