SILENT GROUND
By Hannah Marshall
A Text Score for Solstice
Richmond Arts & Ideas Festival 2025
21.06.25
The space in-between
Silence + sound
The pulse that's alive
When above the ground
ARTISTIC STATEMENT
SILENT GROUND is a walking meditation — a quiet ritual of return to the pulse beneath our feet. This piece invites you to walk silently to the river, without destination or device. Simply read the poem, then move slowly through the landscape, practising deep listening to the underground networks, the earth's intelligence, the connection between your heartbeat and the ground's rhythm.
Rooted in nine months of incubation, temple visits, and meditation practice, SILENT GROUND explores what lies beneath — the pulse that connects all living systems. Like frequencies in resonance, we attune to this larger heartbeat. When we walk in silence, we remember our place within this living field of connection
This work connects to Marshall's upcoming installation HEARTLINE at the V&A [27 June] — a minimalist sound chamber exploring heartbeat synchronisation. Both works serve as conduits for connection, attuning participants back to their essential rhythm.
What to do:
1. Read the poem, then walk silently to the river
2. No headphones, no phones
3. Move slowly, listen deeply
4. Return when ready
ABOUT THE ARTIST
Hannah Marshall is a British conceptual artist whose work explores the intersection between silence, sound and quantum listening. Through minimalist sound installations, she creates intentional interventions in our ecosystem of mass distraction — anchoring audiences within contemplative spaces that cultivate heightened perception and reveal what lies beneath the noise.
Rooted in the belief that artists are conduits for connection, Marshall offers purposeful disruption through works that underscore the urgency of sacred attention. Her practice centres on deep listening as a vital threshold for cultural resonance and reconnection.
Commissioned internationally by institutions including the V&A, British Museum, and Saatchi Gallery, Marshall is Committee member for EarthPercent — the climate foundation co-founded by Brian Eno. She is recognised by Nesta, named one of 200 cultural icons by i-D Magazine, and continues to shape cultural discourse around silence, presence, and planetary connection.
CREDITS
Artist: Hannah Marshall
Studio: H+
Commission: Richmond Arts & Ideas Festival
Theme: Cultural Reforesting
Dates: 13-29 June 2025
Artistic Director: Andy Franzkowiak
Programmer: Fahim Qureshi
Producer: Judit Agui
Supported by: Arts Council England and British Council
Thank you: Habitats & Heritage
Festival Website