Unexplained (SILENCIO Vol. 3) was an artistic experiment that challenged the role of explanation in performing arts and live music. We were curious about how explanation shapes the way audiences understand and absorb art.

The event took place at ISO Amsterdam in September 2023. It presented different types of performances and gave the audience an active role. Each participant was asked to fill out a form to help us study how perception changes with different levels of explanation: over-explaining, minimal context, or none at all. It was our first conscious exploration of audience engagement, turning interpretation itself into the work.

Explanation turned into a way of expanding the act of spectating itself. The audience was not only receiving but also producing, extending their experience into a new phase where interpretation generated collective knowledge.

Performance / Experiment, September 2023

Keywords: performance, participation, audience engagement, collective research, interpretation, live music

People: Jurriaan Wesselink, Marria Terre, Corina Vettore, Laura Papke, SHAN, Ferah Hijazi, Inga Hirsch, Maarten Keus, Alexander Köppel, Katerina Lihach, Estela González López, Oliver Roldán Perez, Jose Hopkins Brocq, Octagon Blues, Tea Ferrari