It’s been a while that Scotia Monkivitch and I wanted to take time to work on performance/movement material. So we jumped at this opportunity to have a residency in Yogyakarta to do some studio work. Training in the morning: kalaripayatt for Scotia and James who accompanied us and is working on his own project, and swimming for me as I am still recuping from my both knees arthroscopy. The first 2 weeks we visited lots of cultural places, galleries and artists and took a guided walk along the Code river.
We are staying in a traditional Javanese wooden house next to a paddy field in the South of the city, in Taman Tirto, Kasihan Bantul. Children helped us to connect with the village life. We invited the community to come on a Sunday afternoon to gather, meet us and make a video portrait, which we used in an installation performance later that week. But first, we gathered again in a former Gamelang room used a hall now, to show the edited video and get people’s feedback.
A peaceful and meditative viewing experience. The heightened soundscape, the segue imagery of water falling, and the gentle chapters of community ‘clans’ drinking, emphasized the epic transience of life, the sheer life force and vitality of water and it’s nourishing impact on the body. Watching it I could feel cool liquid down the back of my throat.
mmm, beautiful and, as julie says, meditative. my response is to go pour myself a glass of water and reflect on the fact that I can.
I have returned home and am struggling with crossing the bridge between two worlds, each equally real, equally different and equally the same. Both worlds carry so much and so little in an endless crazy balancing show, constantly searching for the centre pin/waterfall.
My cold toes and fingers, it is winter here, are warmed by viewing this montage again and my heart swells with the carried memory of new friends and strong connections into a new home. May the water between us all continue to flow, carrying prayers, dreams and positive exchange.