Recently, Steven Law discovered that the last piece of music he heard with Donald Stroud in their final Boston Symphony subscription together was the Requiem by Maurice Duruflé. He recalled their hearing this piece played at St. Martin’s in the Field in London, Notre Dame in Paris, and at their wedding. Each time, “they were transported, carried to the heavens,” as music, art and literature have the capacity to do. Inspired by this story, Stefan Balan opened his curiosity to the tradition of requiems and created the following. Proceeds from sales in this exhibition will help fund the musical composition and performance of a new Requiem. Stay tuned,

REQUIEM 

Rest me.  
Rest me.  
Rest me.  

Rest my blurring. 
Rest my insomnia. 
Rest my fever.  

Now that I lost mine 
give me a name.  
Give me your name.  

Replace  
this smudged  
oblivion. 
Give me a face.  

Wash it  
kiss it 
with your forgiveness.  

It is your face. 

Give me light 
heaps of light  
a wheatfield of light.  

Don't let me fumble 
invisible 
in the blindness of others.  

In my own blindness. 

Heal me 
of my absence. 

You are the one who continues. 

You are the bridge 
of wet 
cobblestones 
with a dove  
and a morning 
on the parapet.  

Continue me. 

I pray to you.  

Of the infinite things 
you can do today 
choose to be. 

—Stefan Balan