The Walker’s annual summer send-off of sound and image returns to the hillside at sunset on August 14. Filmmaker/musician Philip Harder (Prince’s “Cinnamon Girl,” Cue the Strings—a film about Low) collaborates with roots country singer/songwriter Matt Arthur and his ensemble for an inspired evening of commissioned live music paired with films from the Walker’s Ruben/Bentson Moving Image Collection and beyond. Revered for his retro style and Johnny Cash-meets-Nick Cave vocals, Arthur, who is blind, composes new music for films in collaboration with Harder based on his experiences of them.
The event begins at 7 pm with music from a local DJ. Film screening and live performance begin at 8:30 pm. Sound for Silents will take place rain or shine. In the event of rain or extreme weather, the show will be moved to the McGuire Theater with limited capacity.
Sound for Silents 2025: Film + Music on the Walker Hillside
Thursday, August 14, 7 pm
Free
Wurtele Upper Garden
ABOUT PHILIP HARDER
Philip Harder is a commercial and music video director famous for iconic spots for Apple’s iPod, Gap, and Target, and music videos for artists including Prince, Foo Fighters, and Cornershop. His debut 2020 feature film Tuscaloosa (starring Natalia Dyer, Stranger Things, and Tate Donovan, Argo) brought to life the novel of the same name—a southern gothic story set in 1973 Alabama. Harder’s latest feature documentary, The Claw (2024), tells the Jekyll-and-Hyde story of one of the greatest supervillains in wrestling history, and his recent film Cue the Strings—a film about Low (2023), follows the 30-year career of the Duluth band Low.
ABOUT MATT ARTHUR
Matt Arthur learned to sing by listening to gospel records by Tennessee Ernie Ford and Johnny Cash. His first band, Prest Asbestus, played throughout the Twin Cities in the 1990s and shared stages with bands ranging from Babes in Toyland, Run Westy Run, and Soul Asylum to Vic Chesnutt, Tad, and the Afghan Whigs. He later wrote and recorded a solo album of folk-gospel songs, which unleashed his taste for songwriting that has produced over 50 original tunes to date. His new EP Runnin’ showcases more expansive and cinematic songwriting, rowdy humor, and a depth that only comes with a life lived through music and sound.
ACCESSIBILITY
There will be accessible seating space off a paved path on the hillside. Staff members around the hillside will be able to assist with seating.
For more information about accessibility at the Walker, visit our Access page. For questions on accessibility, or to request additional accommodations, call 612-375-7564, or email access@walkerart.org.
ABOUT WALKER ART CENTER
Known for presenting today’s most compelling artists from close to home and around the world, the Walker Art Center features a broad array of contemporary visual arts, music, dance, theater, and moving image works. Ranging from concerts and films to exhibitions and workshops, Walker programs bring us together to examine the questions that shape and inspire us as individuals, cultures, and communities. The adjacent Minneapolis Sculpture Garden, one of the first urban sculpture parks of its kind in the United States, holds at its center the beloved Twin Cities landmark Spoonbridge and Cherry by Claes Oldenburg and Coosje van Bruggen as well as some 60 sculptures. Visit walkerart.org for more information on upcoming events and programs.