Solstice Carnivale
Undergrowth presents : SOLSTICE TRAILS : a solar art carnivale
DETAILS: what is it: a solar art carnivale of free art, music and films in the park to celebrate the Solstice. when is it: Saturday 22nd December 12 noon-12 midnight where: The centre of Edinburgh Gardens, next to the historic missing Queen Victoria statue. Melbourne, VIC, Australia
ABOUT: Solstice Trails is a solar art carnivale being held in the Edinburgh Gardens to celebrate the summer solstice on Saturday the 22nd of December, (07) organised by the Undergrowth art collective. We are inviting the Melbourne community to come in creative celebration of this annual event when the earth reaches it’s apex of solar energy, so why not enjoy it out in the open air, under the sun? In this spirit, the power for the event will be supplied by the sun thanks to the Labrats Solar Powered Sound System, and the ‘renewable energy’ of Melbourne’s creative community creating an artistic carnival atmosphere. Celebrate creativity not consumption. Celebrate life from the sun – this is what Solstice represents.
As part of the carnivale, we will be transforming the park into an open air gallery for one day, from the trees we will be hanging works by local artists, Chayya Clancy, Raku Pitt, Tim Parish and Antonia Green who will also be erecting her geodesic creation as an artspace over the day. Music will be provided by Miso, Pataphysics, slam poetry jazz outfit ‘Sipher Alley’, Dub the Magic Dragon, Labrats and more, with chill dj’s until nightfalls. Finally when the sun sets there will be a selection of consciousness raising films including shorts, animations, the Ministry of Truth radical media tv pilot, and the official launch of ‘Tales from the Ghetto’ by Izzy Brown, MC of Combat Wombat about her recent collaboration with Kenyan hiphop collective Sinpare while in Africa. All free.
THE HISTORY OF SOLSTICE The Summer Solstice is the longest day of the year, a sacred festival for cultures all around the world, connecting the ancient pagan celebrations as it marks the period of greater fertility in agriculture. In China it is a celebration of yin, the earth and the feminine. It is the original inspiration for the date which is now Christmas, and in many cultures the ancient myths of the virgin birth of the son at this time actually relate to virgo giving birth to the sun… We believe that as environmental awareness increases around the world, so does our awareness of reconnecting our culture to the natural cycles of the world, and a revival of these ancient earth centred festivals can play a large part of that. As a counterpoint to Christmas, which has been grafted on to the date of the Solstice, we want to celebrate creativity not consumption.
Often celebrated on the 21st of December, the actual date of the the longest day changes each year to the day before or after, and this is why it is often called the day when ‘the sun stands still’ before it begins to move back toward winter. In 2007 the longest day of the year will be Saturday December 22nd just after most people have finished work for the year, so what better time to come and celebrate play, and creativity than when the source of all our creation is at it’s peak in our skies?
BYO CREATIVITY We want everyone to know that while Undergrowth is planting the seed and setting the stage with many artists and musicians on the day, everyone is invited to come and bring their own creations, set up their own space, show art, bring instruments, sculptures, theatre, picnic, whatever you want… art is a participatory activity, not just a spectator sport. Everyone is invited to come and play.
ABOUT UNDERGROWTH: Undergrowth is an organic media art collective involved in independent publishing, utilising art to inspire environmental consciousness and evolutionary culture. Through our website Undergrowth.org we host art, writing, films, music ebooks and regular digital magazine of Australian artists, and in the real world we publish books, organise art exhibitions, work with festivals and hold events that promote conscious memes in the Australian culture.
We are all change agents. Engage the flow and swim with it. In it. Become it…
{we live not Underground, but in the Undergrowth} For more information or to get involvedcontact: Tim Parish: – art(a)undergrowth.org Scott Foyster: zines(a)undergrowth.org