Rites Of Spring: A Celebration Of The Moving Object

An enthralling all-day theatrical journey weaving through the stories of Gaia in her own magical garden.
OCTOBER 20, 2007
10AM - 6PM
In The Historic Village Of Rydal, 2.5 hours West Of Sydney
POSTER

Willem Brugman and Antony Symons in the studio

Spring Blooms in the garden

Chinese Wayfarer's Pavilion: Temple Of The Morning Dew One Of The Many Stages In The Garden

Vision

Over the Blue Mountains in the picturesque village of Rydal, a renewal of traditional Spring Festivals is blooming at The World-Gaia Sculpture Garden. The Rites Of Spring: A Celebration Of The Moving Object is an all-day theatrical journey weaving through the stories of Gaia in her own magic garden as she blooms and unfurls her new life. It is also a celebration of art and its generative power, bringing together local and international artists, performers and musicians co-creating an integrated, ceremonial and totally hospitable day of festivities which could fool you into believing you have stepped into a world gone-by or perhaps a world yet to be!
The Rites Of Spring: A Celebration Of The Moving Object is a new festival concept merging art and ceremony, revitalising ancient traditions and renewing our sense of mystical participation through the artful celebration of seasonal cycles. Cultural teachers and celebrants from diverse traditions will be present on the day with Buddhist Dharma teachings, Aboriginal smoking and cleansing ceremonies, African storytelling, Palestinian dance and traditional Celtic rituals.
These cultural ceremonies will merge with performers and musicians in the setting of a magical sculpture garden built by sculptor Antony Symons where various natural stages emerge amongst Spring foliage, including a traditionally crafted Chinese Wayfarer's Pavilion, artists' studios, rambling pathways and a myriad of sculptures in all mediums.

Realisation

For the festival day, the garden will be transformed into a village with its astonishingly diverse inhabitants welcoming their guests in The Village Square for the Opening Ceremony. After Morning Tea, the garden will come alive with Music, Performance and Cultural Ceremonies while preparations for lunch are underway with a Traditional Wood-Fired Oven central to the Delicious Seasonal Feast. Butoh in the Kitchen garden, Belly dancing in the Dining Yurt and Masked Players in The Avenue of The Ancestors and are just some of the creative fare on offer.
After lunch a Village Procession with Spectacular Carnivale Costumes and Sculptural Effigies will gather up with The Gold Fields Brass Band and Senegal WOW WOW for an old-fashioned extravaganza of The Moving Object winding its way to The Village Stage. After this walk through country led by a Waradgiri cultural elder, the sculptural effigies will become the central characters in a Miracle Play telling an allegorical tale of eternal renewal.
The Rites Of Spring: A Celebration Of The Moving Object is a celebration and renewal of traditional Spring Festivals and Rites from around the world with a focus on revitalising ecological awareness and sustainable harmony between humans and nature through art and ceremony.
Don't miss this artistic and cultural phenomenon and step backwards and forwards in time for an enthralling day of participatory festivities and engaging all-round sound and visuals at The World-Gaia Sculpture Garden Village.
A multi-arts workshop every saturday for six weeks prior to the festival will function as a creative platform for artists, musicians, performers and others to co-create the event with a focus on site-specific performance, collaborative process and cultivating a sense of belonging for participants and visitors alike.

People involved

Willem Brugman
Catherine Hassall
Antony Symons
Glenys Livingstone
Graeme Dunstan
Cally Parkinson
Venerable Santitito
Ruby Bloomers
Felix Gailey
Finbar Gailey
Malik Diop
& Senegal WOW WOW
Victoria Spence
Graham King
Terri Olsen

Contact Info for this Project