A emergência do silêncio como enunciado em 4’33, de John Cage

Abstract

This work aims to analyze silence as a form of language and, therefore, as a producer of meaning. The object of analysis is the manifestation of silence in John Cage's work, 4'33". To do so, we rely on two authors considered fundamental for discursive studies, Bakhtin (2016) and Foucault (2005). We propose a dialogue between the two, discussing their theories on the category of "utterance." Building on this theoretical foundation, we seek to analyze how 4'33" manifests as a set of utterances that form a discourse, as well as the conditions of possibility that allowed 4'33" to emerge as an enunciative act. Drawing on the cited authors and others, such as Durão (2019) and Santaella (2005), we conclude that 4'33" emerges as a responsive act to semiotic overproduction, a phenomenon that refers to the ever-increasing proliferation of signs and codes.