The Call
2017
Experimental Contact LARP
On the 15th September 2017 we marked a cosmic date and the end of a mission. The Cassini probe ended her exploration of Saturn by dramatically burning up in Saturn’s atmosphere.
The story of Cassini is a testament to collaborative creative endeavour and the intelligent application of technology to open up our knowledge and perspective on the Universe we live within. We can think of space missions – their launches and completions – as the secular rituals of our technological age. They can mark the cyclical renewal of human creative activity: the information collected by Cassini directs the design of the next missions to Saturn and the ending becomes a fresh beginning.
2017
Experimental Contact LARP
On the 15th September 2017 we marked a cosmic date and the end of a mission. The Cassini probe ended her exploration of Saturn by dramatically burning up in Saturn’s atmosphere.
The story of Cassini is a testament to collaborative creative endeavour and the intelligent application of technology to open up our knowledge and perspective on the Universe we live within. We can think of space missions – their launches and completions – as the secular rituals of our technological age. They can mark the cyclical renewal of human creative activity: the information collected by Cassini directs the design of the next missions to Saturn and the ending becomes a fresh beginning.
photo credit: Michelle Proksell
On a site visit to the Crawick Multiverse in Dumfries and Galloway we marked the moment with an improvised ceremony: inviting collaborators to meet across space & time for a moment of contact across distance.
Many cultures know the power of intentional ritual and sounding to create relationship between the earth and the heavens. Animals are guided by the many streams of this planet: whale and dolphins echo-locate underwater, bats use sound for aerial navigation, and human electric senses flow with the information from the earth’s systems and the stars. Flexible copper can be both antennae and grounding device and on the 15th September we started to explore combining copper and the electromagnetic human body towards creating communication experiences that connect with the presence of others across the waves.
A fresh analogue and digital ceremony bringing together the unfolding story of space exploration, myth, art, science and song, holding creative space for playful futures in which science, art, culture and ecology meet.
The Call
In Scotland the improvised ceremony was held by Kate Genevieve and Tracey Benson.After meeting at Balance Unbalance in August and SCANZ Canberra, a network of people brought together by Trans Art Alliance connected wherever they were on the planet for this call.
Sounding Contact at the Multiverse
Photo credit:
Michelle Proksell
Photo credit:
Michelle Proksell
Role call of those who linked in from across the earth:
Quandamooka (Moreton Bay) – Australia
Sandy Sur performed ceremony at the bay.
Byron Bay – Australia
Liz Barker made creek prints
Vanuatu
Tommy Dick led a cava ceremony
Buskerud – Norway
Hege Braathen and Tyr Neilson cast the runes.
Lenapehoking (Delaware) – USA
Dåkot-ta Alcantara-camacho and Jack Gray from I-Moving Lab held ceremony
Alice Springs – Australia
Dian Booth improvised on the violin
California – USA
Paul Miller
Quandamooka (Moreton Bay) – Australia
Sandy Sur performed ceremony at the bay.
Byron Bay – Australia
Liz Barker made creek prints
Vanuatu
Tommy Dick led a cava ceremony
Buskerud – Norway
Hege Braathen and Tyr Neilson cast the runes.
Lenapehoking (Delaware) – USA
Dåkot-ta Alcantara-camacho and Jack Gray from I-Moving Lab held ceremony
Alice Springs – Australia
Dian Booth improvised on the violin
California – USA
Paul Miller
In remembrance of Charles Jencks the architect and visionary who transformed this abandoned coal mine into a playful representation of the wilder reaches of modern physics. His memory continues to inspire our efforts, and his creative and generous presence is profoundly missed.
The Multiverse is a celebration of the possibilities of large-scale collaboration for cultural renewal and cosmic vision: located on the watershed of the River Nith, Dumfries & Galloway, the land art stretches across acres, transforming the site of this former open cast coal mine into living maps of the cosmos.
Exploring the site is like stepping into experiential science fiction; climbing the mounds of the Milky Way and Andromeda, an ancient, modern pilgrimage.
The Multiverse is a celebration of the possibilities of large-scale collaboration for cultural renewal and cosmic vision: located on the watershed of the River Nith, Dumfries & Galloway, the land art stretches across acres, transforming the site of this former open cast coal mine into living maps of the cosmos.
Exploring the site is like stepping into experiential science fiction; climbing the mounds of the Milky Way and Andromeda, an ancient, modern pilgrimage.