Bill Fontana: River Sounding, Somerset House

Bill Fontana: River Sounding, Somerset House | reviews, news & interviews

Bill Fontana: River Sounding, Somerset House

Journey to the watery depths of Somerset House for this evocative audio artwork

by Sarah KentMonday, 03 May 2010

'River Sounding': 'The ship’s bell seems to toll with maudlin finality'

The fountains have been switched on at Somerset House, and I watched a group of tourists giggling as they picked their way through the water jets. They obviously hadn’t noticed the cheerful sound of running water coming from the edge of the courtyard, which encourages you to descend some narrow stairs down to the light wells that illuminate the lower floors of Somerset House.

The presence of the dead and the sight, in the Stygian gloom, of a skull and cross bones cast a melancholy spell'

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