The art of the future has arrived! From Germany, New Zealand, Victoria, New South Wales, and Western Australia, young and youthful people came together in Perth last March to sculpt the warmth that exists between us as human beings. Together, we not only explored new social and artistic life, we experienced what it actually requires to be artists of the social sphere – artists of the future. Like fish flexing their fishy muscles – their spaces entwinedin wave-like, flag-like, flappingswaving in, waving out –Standing tall and proud, open and welcomingSitting low, weaving their heartbeat intothe centre of the earth. (HM, EP, MK, JS)Because it is difficult to paint a picture of our experiences in a conventional ‘report,’ we have added photographs of our gesture art, clay pieces, and labyrinth work, and have included some of the creative writing we produced together.
Hopefully these additions will act as doorways into the experiences of the gathering. Folded down the flower restsbehind a wall of love. So very tiredit longs to touchthe deep dark fragrant earth. When morning comesit lifts its head towardsthe brilliant sky. And the sky is nodding and bending downto kiss the brilliant flower. (JW, LP, LD, DS)Working consciously with the ‘being’ of the gathering, with others we share a connection with, with the rose cross meditation (thanks to our wonderfully supportive guide and future artist-extraordinaire, Jennifer Kornberger), as well as with new forums for discussion, along with the holding of questions without grasping for answers, labyrinth work and existing artistic mediums, we strove to melt the walls that separate us from one another, and attempted to consciously create a ‘sculpture’ made of warmth – a sculpture that uses as its medium the substance that lives in the spaces between us.
From four round balls,Four pieces of different shapes ariseFour balls to four forms talking – forming –shaking hands in the spaces between theminvisiblyReaching out in search of warmth,Engulfed in warmth, simultaneously absorbing and radiating warmthto the rhythm of their flow. (HM, MK, EP, JS)During our time together we created some wonderful gesture-art, some powerful clay pieces, and a collection of very fine creative writing. But the highest art of the gathering was what we were able to form through human relationships – through interacting with one another in such a way that the individual can support the community as a whole, and the community can support the individual in all his or her strivings. Our individuality was not lost during this process, but strengthened – not only through our morning and evening meditative sessions, but through all of the activities of the gathering.
The moon calf’s ears are listeningThe fountain’s halves are whisperingAnd I am waitingLeaning forward with anticipationWhat knowledge will follow?The clay laughsThe glacier calvesWhat is this new creation?(GK, KD, SM, JK)Our activities formed part of a greater process – part of the Goethean wholeness of the entire gathering. Everything we did added to the warmth sculpture we created – the spiritual community we attempted to form. I did not know I was going to fallI fellAnd you were there to catch me. You are always there to catch me. I am ready to catch you,Laughingand crying sometimes. I’m worried about you,but not in an unhappy wayI’m fine.
I benefit from loving you, you know. I’m strong,You’re strong,WE’RE s-t-r-o-n-g. Got it?We are both standing upright nowStanding on our own two feet. (JW, LP, LD, DS)This event was created, organised and run by youth section members, with the guidance and support of Jennifer Kornberger. The organisers attempted to work consciously with the ‘being’ of the gathering for over a year, and did so through regular study groups, planning meetings and meditative work.
In one sense, the gathering actually took place over a twelve month period – from planting the initial seed in fertile soil, to tending the growing plant, to finally co-harvesting and enjoying the fruit with all participants during our days together in March. As if a flower unfolded from a vesseloriginally the secret of what was containedwas kept…A mirror of an archetypal memoryReaching towards the outside world. It sprang with vigor from modeledsurroundscarefully conjured from disparateleaningsBut truth and beauty have common ground;Once found in common hard unlearned. So the linking flowed in togethernessUntroubled by less emscious beginningsAnd a complete form was reachedand now rests, in peace. A picture of movement between three.
(JB, GB, SM)The organizers would like to thank Jennifer Kornberger for her unending support, Melchior Mazzone for his website brilliance, Evan Sanders for his financial genius, as well as the Anthroposophical Society in Australia, WA Branch, for their very kind donation which helped make this event possible. In particular, we would like to offer our humble thanks and congratulations to all the exceptional artists-of-the-future who were able to attend the event: Lotte Peters, Dominique Schacherer, Emma Parker, Michael Killian, Gotthard Killian, Lisa Devine, John Blackwood, Jesse Williamson, Susan McCaughtrie, Sonia McGillvray, Hiroko Mihay, Jennifer Kornberger, Katie Dobb, Gosia Basinska, and John Stubley (as well as Sue Simpson and Paul Mackay for adding their experienced hands to the sculpture during our final afternoon session). ListenListen, hear the grass growing. Hear the flower unfolding,calling for a bumbly beeSky is highSky is blueListen to the skyListen to the blueListen to the highunfoldingflower.
Listen to the bumbly beeListen to the soft singingListen to the flower unfolding for it. Warm is the nourishmentfrom the middle of the sky. (HM, MK, EP, JS)One participant was overhead saying, following the event, “it is like we carry around a secret now. ” Another participant, while driving to the Bee Master Michael-Easter Festival after the gathering, said, “to everybody else driving past, we probably just look like five people in a car…” And it is with great joy that the organisers received these two very heartening emails from participants upon their return home:“…there’s never a day that I don’t think of you all and everything I learned and experienced in Perth, I still feel the warmth and carry it with me always, letting it pass through me to touch others around me.
I hope they feel it too!”“I think the energy we created has already spread!!! I even left some of it in Dubai! And I haven’t even started to unfold it all yet. . . Anyway I’ll never forget this wonderful experience…!!”Of course, it is our great hope that the sculpture we created here in Perth can live as a gift for everyone everywhere.
May it follow the currents of human and spiritual warmth throughout all worlds, and may it find you, as this report has, wherever you may be. This final piece was written by all the artists at the gathering – each of us adding our own line and our own warmth to the poem which, in turn, supports each very special, individual line. Weavings, shapingsI was clay and then you breathed me humanAnd the hardness melted into the sweetest most golden honeyA mess of the most beautiful kindFruitbowl purrs and moohs with breathing warmth and hidden heart pulsingCommunity Creatures Clumped BuddingNothing will stop us meeting!‘The hills are alight with the sound of music’Spaceship Earth, flying moon calf to the zooI like noodles and I like noodling around!!!Here we are! All a tangle ; still ourselves. Balancing.Everyone has a space in this space for everyone – our warmth melts all obstaclesThe earth is a masterpieceJoined together with the grace of life.
