Ellen aka Major Wood's ramblings:
I would like to create a project at Nowhere 2009 that takes place during the event but ties into the opening and closing ceremonies. Which, by the way, I think people have posted several wonderful ideas about already...you are an amazingly inspiring pool to skip a stone like “The Heart of Nowhere” across. Ploing ploing ploing...it skips back to you in a new colour rather than sinking. I take it as a sign that the Heart of Nowhere isn't in fact made of stone at all, but a lighter, tougher material all together.
But I digress... a working title for my project idea could be something like «Speak to/from The Heart». Here's an unfinished and fragmented description. Ideas, improvements, participation welcomed.
«Speak to/from The Heart» would consist of 4 speaking/writing stations placed along a giant circle, south, east, north, west on site. Possibly each decorated in the theme of an element (earth, water, fire, air) and a corresponding state/process: stability/grounding, emotions/intuition, desire/passion, thought/learning...decoration could also include visual/sensory illustration of and information about the specific direction and element of each station.
It could be nice if in connection with an opening ceremony, or just as an event in its own right early in the event, a small procession walked round the circle and “opened” each station. A bit like lamp lighters.
The stations would have to be visibly recognizeable as NOT LATRINES;-D. It would however be great if they got used as miniture shade/warmth/meeting/snuggle/snog/whatever positive socialising spaces in additon to writing stations.
Inside each booth/station there could be a desk/stand with either a type writer and paper (type writer is appealing as an object, but paper is less wind/rain proof and more complicated to acquire, transport and maintain), or a big roll of plain fabric in a colour that matched the element, on some sort of rail/swivel over a desk that is a hollow box with a slot in that the paper/cloth feeds into and things to write on it with. Or just individual scraps of cloth and writing implements and a slot/box.
I like the idea of the big roll so that what people write without reading what others have written before them then becomes part of a continous piece/a larger communicative context, but individual sheets of paper/cloth may be more do-able.
Above or beside the desk/paper there will be a written invitation to speak to/from the heart (of Nowhere), with suggested speech acts such as:
On Saturday the rolls or individual scraps of fabric would be collected and hung (stiched together first if pieces) somewhere public like in the middle of Nowhere so people can read them.
As part of a closing ceremony on Sunday these rolls/patchworks could be destroyed/released and/or transformed into something new. I don't have a clear idea for exactly how yet – fire is appealing but of course we try to avoid it given the surroundings...The closing of this year's festival is the birth of the year towards the next Nowhere. The fabric rolls/patchworks could be used to ceremonially wrap and unwrap something or someone...in some sort of dance performance or communal activity...they could become part of next year's infrastructure (toilet curtains? shade structure?;-))...they could be collectively ripped into pieces/patches that people can take with them, sew into/onto clothing or whatever... will be thinking more on this – any good ideas,anyone?
Think the whole thing is the dumbest idea you have ever heard? Inspired with brilliant suggestions? don't be shy....;-)