An impromptu community art project
Dreamwheel Dance
The fundamental concept : A curated public event which uses mixed media, street art and performance to celebrate the land/space, community, environment and its people. Allocated circles are distributed and assigned to groups or solo artists/individuals. The distributed collaboration grows outwards from a central circular hub or central mandala. The finale is a celebratory dance party, around the entire chalked art space.
Notes on participation:
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Participants agree their art will focus on the use of form and pattern , and are briefed as such (ie. no letters or written language in respect of the space).
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Setting Intentions that amplify the harmony and the appreciation of inter-connectedness. " Land, people and environment" Through collaboration all participants in real-time create a mural/mandala together . Like a 2-dimensional dreaming habitat forming in time-lapse, a heart to heart connection, an internal dreaming landscape expressed by the feeling senses.
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To ensure the art work cohabitates in harmony and respect with the space it is actively curated.
Notes on the concept:
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The process is multi dimensional. It can be considered art therapy; exercise, carefree expression, happy doodling play; and/or meditation practice.
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Music , sound and vibration with non-lyrical, uplifting nature accompanies the chalk art; starting with slow beats/ambient harmonies that slide up to a crescendo signalling the cessation of drawing time and transition to dance party. Live percussion instrumentation ads another layer of participation and performance.
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The Qi of Spaces
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The project came to be called “the Moa Res”, which is short for Moana* Residency.
Moana is the name for deep waters in Hawaiian
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The project began slowly and organically. Initially It was Ishi looking for a place by the beach to drum. a place with quick easy access, and some protection and buffering from the elements. It began as something joyful to do, as a kind of response to the dramatic changes in the ‘psychic weather’ of people in the community in the year of 2020.
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The informal start.
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In April of 2020 public places were commonly empty due to the general feelings of uncertainty and fear. Though the atmosphere seemed full of angst; the intent to do a healthy activity of dancing outside by the ocean air & uplifting the spirits with up beat body-movin’ tracks, birthed a decision to make an outdoor dance space, with simply, a boombox, a USB of multi-genre dance music, accompanied with live percussions.
The first pavement chalk-art sprouts, buds, & blooms
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At the end of 2020 an artist friend remarked to ishi, “how about making some chalk art” on the rough pavers of the place.
From a few cheap-shop chalk colours, and simplistic forms, to extended colours of Crayola© chalks with ever growing complexity; the almost entirely not pre-planned drawings began, in quite an organic way. Like a 2D garden growing into its cycles, fertilised by visions and impressions seen in meditation, and felt in dance sequences. Siuling joins the Art collaborative project.
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~The wisdom of chalk art lies in its impermanence. Imagery and colour come forth and invite you to focus on the moment. You cannot force pigment to stay endlessly; rain and footsteps will soon wash it away. Gone and yet leaving behind echoes and Imprinted vibrations that expand~
Siu 2021
