2006 / Sound intervention
Every culture maintains a particular relationship with its national history, its governments, and the symbols that represent them. Among these, the national anthem has the greatest influence on people: for its duration, its sonic reach, its historical references, and, above all, the posture of respect it requires.
The work consists of altering highly transited public spaces by projecting the national anthem of the country in which the action is carried out, approximately every thirty minutes, over the course of a full day in plazas, avenues, or parks. The collective behavior varies according to the local idiosyncrasy.
The piece has so far been carried out in José Martí Park in Ciego de Ávila, Cuba, where urban movement was practically halted every thirty minutes by the projection of the anthem.