Climate Lounge Art Club Project – Art as remembering, healing and transformation.
“And it is a privilege: to be invited into a lounge – a climate lounge” – Dr. Joanne Peers
This story is not mine alone. This story is that of Us, this world, our relationship with it and each other. It is an ever-changing story; a story of many voices and a story of the Earth. It is a story of the very Life we breathe and waters we drink; about the winds of change and the inherent force that arises from the current chaos we find ourselves in – that transforms and drives us forward.
From the very first session I felt that this is an important project. There are voices to be heard, things to be understood and stories to be told. Under Dr. Joanne Peers’s guidance, we set our intentions and felt the groundwork being laid down - not only physically where we sat together on the grass but mentally and spiritually as well. We spoke about Camissa, the traces of colonialism in the city and the things which we can and cannot see. We were guided by what we learnt and by each other: our names, our voices and presence each their own – slowly starting to become one.
In the heart of Muizenberg at The Commons we came together again. This time for two full day sessions that would further form the mold of our artistic mission. We were taken on a dream-like journey guided by Zayaan Khan through stories of the past and on how we handle the present. We contemplated our shared future; shared dreams and visions – all while centering the conversation around the beauty and process of fermentation as a form preservation.
Sabina Omar spoke to us about the importance of climate systems. Her gentle way of communicating her knowledge surrounding heavy topics equips us for our task ahead.
Dr Aaniyah Martin walked us through her hydro-rugging process – an act of re-membering and embedding story and narrative onto a shared, ever-evolving canvas. We rediscovered how we are all connected through the waters; and realized we share a common responsibility to protect, admire and preserve.
I have been chosen by Climate Lounge to create an artwork as part of their Art Club project. When I started this still-ongoing journey in June, I didn’t really know what to expect or where it may lead to. Now, even after just the first cluster of workshops, I have this tingle of curiosity, the lingering sense of an ache to delve deeper and vivid ideas forming in my head and heart.
I am excited to see where this journey of knowledge and understanding will take me. As I start to create my contribution to the collective exhibition (hoped to be showcased later this year in November) I hope my learning and practice leads to more remembering, healing, and transformation; of discovering more voices in the collective story that is Us, the earth and the chaos we currently find ourselves in.
P.S. What do you feel about the current state of the world? Our relationship to the earth and to each other? – Feel free to email me your thoughts - short or long - here.
Your contribution will be included in my artwork and the collective exhibition by Climate Lounge later this year.