Listen Up! - A 'Listening Room' Reflection

By Jillian Dawson

The doors to Rock Garden Studio opened at 6pm for the first night of ‘Let It Flow’ on Friday. By 6:30pm, the studio was buzzing with excitement and curiosity. By 7pm, it was downright cozy. All in all, a successful kick off to the week-long exhibit.

Although it was fun to see familiar faces among the electric energy building within the gallery, I felt it was necessary to visit the exhibit again during a less crowded time.

I walked in just as curator Jean Detjen was hanging “Quiet Please” signs at the entrance, moments before ‘The Listening Room’ began. Created by Jennifer Levenhagen, she describes ‘TLR’ as “an on-going project hosted and attended by people who believe in the power of live improvisational music to empower, inspire, heal and reveal.” Sitting at a piano in the center of a circle full of red chairs, Levenhagen performed improvisational piano, encouraging attendees to experience this time as they wish, whether it be meditation, personal reflection or working on personal projects.

Knowing Marc Golde’s recording room to have a ridiculously comfortable couch, I plopped myself down with my laptop, the piano audible but muffled, a window to the gallery in eyesight. Behind me was an interactive poetry display, single skinny pieces of paper with a pile of markers inviting guests to add a line and rearrange the poems with push pins. My favorite line is written by what I can only guess is someone around second grade that simply says “Olivia Wood” with thirteen hearts behind it (I counted).

My personal favorites so far have been the work of PNut Folkse who sketches scenes from recognizable movies, particularly the Wayne’s World piece. The isolation room (complete with a ‘parental discretion advised’ sign on the door) housed some darker images by Matt Lombard. They reminded me of something I might see in a Tool or Nine Inch Nails music video. Maybe I’m a bit biased, but I got a kick out of seeing a photo of my co-worker on display from Graham Washatka from the first Mile of Music, a massive crowd behind him, two martinis being poured as the band played on.

With all types of colors, textures, moods and energies, the exhibit holds something for everyone.  I’d like to post photos of the work, but I feel like that might take away from experiencing the fun and surprise of each piece. Pop-up events are being added daily – keep an eye on ‘Let It Flow’s Facebook page for the most up to date event listings!