Mute Body, 2025
paper, thread, plastic bottles, cans, pvc tubes, silicone,
circulation pump, water
85 x 12 x 60cm
I see something sparkle just above her cheekbone. A slight glitter. Is she shedding a tear?1 Is a drop of sweat2 running down her face? I nestle a bit inside my body. Move this way, then that way. Take some noisy steps, sweep my arms across the wall.3 It’s so tempting to make sound when you want to be heard. The muted body though needs to be liberated from within.4 It won’t be solved by singing. It won’t be solved by screaming. The muted body needs to speak without forming words. It needs to articulate without making sense. The muted body needs to bring the internal out and the external in.5 Back and forth, back and forth — the movement of the cradle, as old as the silence we share.6
1 Water used for cleaning must not drip onto the fascia or light, or run through the drain hole.
2 Clean the condensation channel and outlet.
3 There may be a gentle buzzing as the appliance heats up.
4 Place the bottles or containers a little apart.
5 Remove obstacles.
6 The end time cannot be changed.
From: Mira Jochimsen, The Mute Body, 2025 and Siemens Instruction manual HL62054 and FD 8408