lifting the weight

LIFTING THE WEIGHT was a performance made specifically for Rosekill Art Farm in Rosendale NY, using their large lake as a stage. Performers included: Alejandro Chellet, Molly Riddle and Eliot O’Clair.

This performance featured 3 ethereal forest inhabitants and the Moon as characters who created a ritual about letting go and lifting the weight of attachment to home and house. One performer put a few dozen small floating lanterns into the lake that were decorated as child-like houses. One house sculpture glowed on a faraway shore. Two performers were rowing in a boat creating music with a shruti box and voice.

The performer (the Moon) kayaked in from a far corner with an additional large floating house, the size of a child’s playhouse and decorated brutishly like a child, that had helium balloons attached. These balloons symbolised the possibility of letting go of the weight of the house (or of home/the concept of home), yet they did not have the strength to lift the house. They merely offered the possibility of lightness. The Moon performer kayaked to a floating island dock with house and balloons across the large expanse of pond at Rosekill, then disconnected the house from the boat, did a ritual dance with the house, left the house on the floating dock, and then boated back to shore, singing and joining the other performers, ending the performance by leading the audience back to the central bonfire at the farm.

The entire performance was done under moonlight using LED lights and candles.