“SPEAK UP!”, “EXPAND YOUR REACH!”, “MAKE YOUR PRESENCE FELT!” seem to be the basic rules in the handbook of political action for times of upheaval. But it is not only verbal volume, real-time posts and clever argumentation that hold power and empower. Silence, too, can be a powerful, conscious act of communication and can exert power.
The Münster-based artists’ collective RUE OBSCURE 2026 is exploring this dual meaning of the English term ‘power’ as it relates to silence as part of a multi-part series of discussions, focusing on a different aspect of silence at each event. RUE OBSCURE are taking their third ‘Silent Salon’ on tour as part of their summer edition and will be guests at the Künstler*dorf Schöppingen on Saturday 15 August. In keeping with this, this edition centres on silence in the arts.
With her work *tacet_ 2025*, Eva Baumann has created an immersive music and dance performance exploring the paradox of silence. In musical notation, ‘tacet’ signifies silence for an instrument or vocal part. For some time now, the choreographer, dancer and lecturer has been working with Pauline Oliveros’ Deep Listening Method™. In 2025, she completed the first intensive training cycle at the Centre for Deep Listening, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, New York, and has been integrating this method into her interdisciplinary work.
Accordingly, RUE OBSCURE, together with Eva Baumann, explores silence in their artistic work: what effect (or power) does silence have in the performing arts – in music, theatre and dance? How can silence be staged? And what power does silence hold in the creative process, beyond the romanticised trope of ‘productive quiet’ in artistic creation?
As usual, the evening will follow a three-part structure comprising input and discussion with the guests, a silence ritual, and a concluding get-together with drinks and snacks.
Credits
Idea/Concept, Curation & Design: RUE OBSCURE
Hosts: Anne Keller, Katharina Kolar
Set design: Karina Behrendt, Anne Keller; Assistant: Lea Wächter
Lighting design/technical implementation: Jaran Lorenzen, Otis Zumdick
Production: Katharina Kolar
Press/Public Relations: Nicky Schulte
Graphic design: Mila Radau
A production by RUE OBSCURE in co-production with Theater im
Pumpenhaus and in cooperation with the Künstler*dorf Schöppingen Foundation
Funded by: the Ministry of Culture and Science of the State of North Rhine-Westphalia,
the Regional Association of Westphalia-Lippe (LWL)/Cultural Funding and the Cultural Office of the City of Münster
