'Sonic Blossom' Makes MFA Visitors Part Of The Art
BOSTON (CBS) -- It's the gift of song.
A new exhibit unlike any other ever done at Boston's Museum of Fine Arts lets you become part of the art. The performance art is surprising, touching and welcome. For the people on the receiving end, it's a gift for sure.
It's called "Sonic Blossom" and it involves an opera singer filling the halls of an MFA gallery with moving sound.
The performance art is a little strange at first. The singer randomly approaches museum goers and asks if they would like the "gift of song." If the answer is yes, they receive a powerful performance aimed just at them.
In one performance, Soprano Christina Pecce delivers the operatic gift of a song by Franz Schubert. As her majestic voice fills the hall, it flows over museum-goer Emma Boardman.
"It did feel like a gift because she was really connecting with us in that moment," says Boardman.
Sonic Blossom is the creation of artist Lee Mingwei who was inspired by playing Schubert when he was caring for his mother who was ill, and felt the healing touch of the music.
"With Sonic Blossom you do walk away with that relationship with someone who gave you this gift, but it's a very ephemeral relationship," said Lee.
"I hope that what they walk away from this piece or from the museum is, maybe they think it's so beautiful to be a human being," he said.
Many attendees who experienced Pecce's performances agreed that added something extra to their visit.
"An angel singing from the heavens. Very spontaneous, beautiful. I never experienced that before," said Ricardo Casellas.
"That was incredible. I'm still a little choked up," said Jessica Drury.
Pecce is only one of 8 singers who are part of this exhibit.
"When I'm singing to someone I'm really thinking I really want to give you this peaceful gift and I hope it makes your day a little bit better," said Pecce.
You can see and hear Sonic Blossom through April 9th at Boston's Museum of Fine Arts.
