SunnO))) / (Repeater) Decay / Coma Mirror

A complex tableau composed of salt-coated musical instruments, staging panels, exposed wiring and shard-like components, SunnO))) / (Repeated) Decay / Coma Mirror stands as a complete statement of Violettes artistic practice. Inspired by the American heavy rock band SunnO))), the sweeping panoramic narrative encapsulates all the energy, drama and freedom of the underbelly of Americana a central theme in the oeuvre of Banks Violette. SunnO))) / (Repeater) Decay / Coma Mirror is based on a performance by the band, which the audience was allowed to hear, but not to see. During SunnO)))s performance, the lead singer was encased in a black coffin. Represented as a shard-like abstraction, an ebony form takes centre stage asa mysterious monument of dissolution. Later casting their stage equipment in salt, Violettes work is the only visual documentation of this event. Through its strange crystalline and ghostly presence, it has an ominous, lingering aura. Simultaneously rooted in Minimalist form, the monochromatic palette further accentuates a sense of youth culture anxiety. Much has been written about how Violettes complex installations are inspired by the dark recesses of American society and the subculture of Heavy Metal, but his work is most notable for combining the psyche of youth culture with minimalist form. The work explores a series of dichotomies; sound and silence, presence and absence, gothic and minimalism, ultimately combining in a haunting and enigmatic shrine to contemporary culture.