“Guillermo Galindo’s interest in the history of the Americas drew him to the Public Square and its many roles in the founding of Nashville—as the former site of a slave market, its proximity to the toll bridge along the Trail of Tears, and as a site of political activism during the city’s civil rights history. Galindo’s performance at the Public Square, commissioned by Vanderbilt, culminated a three-week collaboration with students and faculty The complex history of Nashville’s Public Square Park—including stories of Native and African Americans—has inspired a performance by Guillermo Galindo, visiting artist-in-residence at Vanderbilt University.”
The idea behind the piece is to unearth buried sounds of the past in order to make the evidence of history audible. Students assembled symbolic sonic objects during Galindo’s 2 week residence culminating with a performance in the underground parking lot of Nashville’s Public Square.