As we stepped into the MOMA (Museum of Modern Art) in New York City on Saturday we heard a heart-wrenching scream. My daughter Julia and I looked at each other with concern. Had someone fallen from a balcony? What was going on? About a minute later, another scream and then another. We walked up the stairs to the second floor atrium to find an open area with a microphone standing there in the middle. A crowd stood there waiting. The next brave soul walked up to the microphone, hesitated and then let out a scream. I thought I had come to see art but this “exhibit” had me mesmerized. These amplified screams were filling the entire museum. After a few more screams, Julia and I got up the courage to try it. Holding hands, we walked up there together, supporting each other in scream stage fright. I felt such a surge of fear as I stared at that microphone. I took the fear and I let it out in a scream. The sound of it surprised me. It almost sounded like a song – with one note. It went on and on and on. I didn’t know I had that much breath. It felt like a combination of fear, excitement, joy and pain all rolled into one sound. Julia couldn’t stand it anymore so she nudged my shoulder to signal me to stop. As I came to my senses I noticed a powerful rush of adrenaline filling my body. The museum guard walked over and said to Julia, “Why did you stop her? That was the best scream I heard all day!!” With that kind of encouragement, I was up there again for more. I let out another long scream but this time at the end of it I started laughing as I felt the joy of it.
The screams were easily heard from any place in the museum. I enjoyed hearing fellow screamers as we checked out Chagall, Matisse, Picasso and more. What a great way to spend an afternoon!! The experience filled me with heightened sense of energy – aliveness. Dreamwork has done that for me as well – but this was like a huge shot of that feeling in a few seconds time. The dreams have been encouraging me to speak up – not hold back. This was the perfect opportunity to let it all out – in a scream.
But the screaming didn’t stop there. Later that night, we made our way to Blood Manor on 27th Street. As monsters, goblins and bloody guys jumped out at us, we screamed. And we loved it. That edge of fear and excitement is exhilarating. There seems to be a basic human urge to scream. As soon as we get the permission to, we let it out!!
There are many nay-sayers that are shocked that MOMA would have the audacity to have such a loud, disturbing exhibit. Maybe that’s what makes it all that more exciting – and fearful to participate in. Museums are supposed to be quiet places. But somehow, that primal urge to scream keeps people walking up to the microphone again and again.
At a used book sale this past summer I picked up a book for 50 cents. It’s called, “The New Primal Scream.” Apparently Primal Scream Therapy started in the 70s and is having a revival. Dr Arthur Janov described it this way:
“The scream is a product of some unconscious, universal, intangible wounds that most of us carry around and which never seem to heal.”
His theory is that we all have repressed pain that needs to be expressed. The primal scream is a way to let it all out. Archetypal dreamwork has a similar goal. The dreams work with us to unlock this deep pain and fear.
If you get a chance to visit the MOMA, try to get there before the end of November so that you can have a chance to participate in Yoko Ono’s, Voice Piece for Soprano exhibit. You’ll be glad you did!!
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