Hearts of Light
This work was part of a special program I curated for SITE Santa Fe, a contemporary art space of international biennial exhibitions. It celebrated composer/ teacher/ humanitarian Pauline Oliveros' Deep Listening (TM) and coincided with the 60th commemoration of the bombing of Hiroshima. Oliveros has been a major force in American music since the 1960s through her work with improvisation, meditation, electronic music, myth, and ritual.
When I curate, I am satisfied with the great performance that curating is and don't feel I need to participate as an artist. This changed in 2005, and all because of a dream. “A woman walks with a crown of 60 burning candles...” The powerful image felt familiar... memory of an ancient ritual... my deep preoccupation with Peace... an opportunity to share a deep listening... The performance took shape from the dream:
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Sixty black-clad women/sixty women in a circle/solemn, proud light-bearers/
sixty human candles/ standing on the Earth/sixty wings of sound/hearts alight...
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Madi Sato, singer, and Koji Nakamura, taiko drummer, were the voices in the center of the circle, 60 women strong, surrounding the audience. The women are light in the premise of a Deep Listening Palace. We were there as listeners in residence. We were there to be the miracle of both sides of listening. Sound is vibration, so is light.
Photo credit: Carole DeVillers
