CHRISTINE MARIE
GROUND TO CLOUD
Electricity, Ben Franklin, Saint Barbara, Nicola Tesla, kites, lightbulbs, sparks wires and equations. Cultural mythology meets technological history in an analog, gliche-filled, non-linear, kinetic experience.
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For Ground To Cloud, the creative team worked together building the performance up from improvised movements and associated research in pursuit of an answer to the core question: how do we honor the gods of this art –the ancient form –the electricity that fuels it –the masculine and feminine principles –the historical western mythologies of scientific discovery and religious folklore? Ground To Cloud, is a dynamic and open exploration upon the human need to be connected.
Inspired by Balinese artists who devote their art to the gods, the experience of Ground to Cloud takes its form from wayang kulit shadow theater. During a wayang, the audience may view the performance on the shadow-side or sit on the side of the dalang to watch the movements of the puppeteer/ priest and the puppets illuminated by a flame.
The visual story is woven from historical data relating to the invention and mythology of electricity including; Saint Barbara –the patron saint of lighting and fire, Ben Franklin's kite, Nikola Tesla, equations of power, electric shock and ground to cloud lightning.