Performance
Guadalupe Maravilla with Penpa Tsering Healing Sound Bath for San Francisco
Related Exhibition What Matters: A Proposition in Eight Rooms
Friday, Jan 26, 2024
11 a.m.
Floor 4, Gina and Stuart Peterson White Box
Update: Reservations are at capacity. A rush ticketing line will form 30 minutes prior to the event with seating available on a first-come, first-served basis.
“Sound as medicine has been used for hundreds of years on all continents. For example, Tibetan throat singers use vibration to heal; shamans in Latin America use flute, singing, and many other instruments; and percussion instruments used in Africa are some of the examples of how sound is used as medicine.”
—Guadalupe Maravilla
Join artist Guadalupe Maravilla for an hour-long sound bath at SFMOMA. Maravilla’s personal story of migration, illness, and recovery has informed an artistic practice grounded in activism and care. His healing sound baths harness the sonic vibrations of gongs, bells, and percussive instruments to restore calm and balance in the body. He explains, “Human bodies are over seventy percent water, and the vibration of the gongs can help balance emotional, psychological, and in some cases physical pain.”
In this immersive, full-body experience, Maravilla will activate the sculpture Disease Thrower #15 (2021), accompanied by the healing vibrations of throat singer Penpa Tsering.
What to expect
The sound bath will last one hour. Participants will be invited to sit or lie down in the White Box. Yoga mats and chairs will be available; participants may bring their own yoga mats, if desired. Wearing an extra layer of warm clothing is recommended. Please note that the White Box floor is hardwood, and the sound baths involve sustained noise that can get loud or intense. Visitors of all ages are invited to participate.
About sound therapies
Sound healing is one of many alternative or complementary therapies experiencing a resurgence of interest. There are abundant examples of the healing properties of sound in the earliest recorded histories: Greek physicians used flutes and lyres; ancient Egyptians described musical incantations. Western medical researchers began to study the application of sound and music in healing beginning at the end of the 19th century. They found that sound therapies can induce deep relaxation states in the brain, vibrate cells in the body, and produce a host of positive outcomes, including pain relief, reduced stress, and improved sleep.
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Accessibility Information
Please email publicengagement@sfmoma.org if you have any questions about the accessibility of this event.