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6th Baguashan Powerart Performance Festival, Changua Taiwan,
Curated by Yujun Ye26th October 2024
@Changhua Nanguokeng Riverside Plaza (Changhua Arts High School Third Campus), kaobinge
The performance was second among the performance rituals, following the drum performance. YuJun Ye, the curator of the festival, had requested an opening ritual to set the tone for the celebration. After careful contemplation and deep reflection, I considered how to foster a meaningful connection between the audience and the space. A vision began to crystallize in my mind. This vision was a vast open space illuminated by radiant light, symbolizing hope and possibility. It was an image that resonated with the spirit of the festival and the shared human experience, aiming to evoke a sense of unity and inspiration among everyone present.
The concept behind this opening ritual performance was to evoke feelings of light, consciousness, positivity, hope, and a therapeutic essence within the audience. To set the tone, I began my performance by balancing a large mirror atop my head, each careful step imbued with intention. My face was adorned with several smaller mirrors meticulously attached to ribbon strips, creating a collage of reflections.
As I moved slowly forward, the mirrors sparkled, capturing and reflecting whatever light was available, creating a shimmering effect that metaphorically conveyed themes of hope, trust, and the vibrancy of life itself. Each movement was curated to resonate with Nature around me—the trees, the sky, and even the fleeting rays of the sun that struggled to break through the grey, cloudy atmosphere.
Despite the lack of bright sunlight and the dreary, overcast backdrop that enveloped us, I sought to communicate a message of inner light. The subdued environment prevented me from using the mirrors to effectively pass on the light to the audience as initially envisioned, but instead, it invited a deeper exploration of the concept that, even in the darkness, hope and positivity can still thrive. My performance became an embodiment of that belief as I invited the audience to reflect on their inner light amidst the cloudy exterior.
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Standing at the centre of the gathering, I could feel the atmosphere charged with anticipation, urging everyone toward a moment of profound connection. This ritual moment commanded my attention, drawing me into a meditative state where I connected deeply with the energy surrounding us all. I purposefully advanced toward the stage, holding Vibhuti, the sacred ash, firmly in my hand. With a decisive motion, I scattered the ash into the air, releasing its strong aroma and instilling a profound sense of calm among the crowd.
As I approached the audience, I distributed portions of the Vibhuti along with small round mirrors, determined to symbolize the transfer of light to each individual. Unfortunately, the overcast sky obscured the sun, preventing it from illuminating the mirrors as I had intended. However, this did not deter me; I clearly articulated my message about embracing our inner light, regardless of external conditions.
The audience responded with enthusiasm, their greetings energizing the moment. This connection reminded us of our collective journey, illuminated by the deliberate act of sharing light.
"Embracing the Light" is a powerful ritual performance that boldly conveys the concept of light, hope, and the invigorating power of life as we forge towards a brighter future. This performance is a deliberate initiative to establish respect and understanding among diverse cultures.
I firmly integrate elements from my Indian heritage, using ashes to symbolize renewal and mirrors to reflect our shared humanity. The distinct movements, chants, and offerings honour my cultural traditions and create a dynamic space for meaningful dialogue and connection.
This performance serves as an artistic expression, a call to action to forge connections between cultures. By honouring individual identities, we can collectively embark on a transformative journey toward unity in our increasingly interconnected world.
Dimple B Shah
26th October 2024
I am not a personal witness to Dimple Shaw's enlightening performance though, it's the real nature of our existence, the hardest part to metaphorically enact as performance art, at a given platform amidst anticipating public. What I gather from the images, the allegoric expressions, the attire in white adorned with bits of mirrors to reflect the vastness of our existence and the gestures to express the innermost nature of our very being is wonderfully reflected by Dimple Shaw, the performing artist from India. Dimple Shaw is essentially a very committed artist, whose innumerable performances at various parts of the world signify her concerns for man and his evolution, that she wants every soul to recognize; the importance and presence of a much higher dimension that we possibly don't perceive.
ReplyDeleteEssentially though, the climate redundant from bright sunlight might have been slightly disappointing, Dimple Shaw unmindful of the drawback, approaches the performance with zeal and enthusiasm. Yes, it is Light that helps us to see even in darkness is a reflection it makes. Eventually what we take all from this earth is what we return to ashes, that become even more sacred to blend with all the 5 elements of nature. Dimple Shaw distributes this to humans for their sacredness and then for the gentle wind to spread it's auroma in space so that we breathe the 'Boundlessness'..of NATURE --rather than the confines we create with lack of the " Knowledge of Light ".....fantastic !!!
Hariraam Veeraraghavan, Bengaluru, India.
Thank you, Hariram sir, for your insightful observations, perspectives, thoughts about the work, and detailed views on humans, nature, evolutions, and our existence in higher dimensions.
ReplyDelete