site_specific



Lara performing her Stone Poem in Plettenbergbay at Site_Specific Land Art event, 24 May 2011. photo: Timothy Twidle



In the beginning of May I met the wellknown South African land artist Strijdom van der Merwe for a cup of tea in Stellenbosch. He mentioned that he is going to be part of South Africa's first Land Art event Site_Specific hosted in Plettenbergbay in May this year. My senses immediately stood on end – I have lots of admiration for this type of artistic expression – seeing that it uses mostly natural material in a natural environment. Land Art relies strongly on photography, because most of this art is momentary/ephemeral expressions – wind and water can come at a whim and whisk it away. Strijdom and I briefly discussed a way of how I can contribute. I love performing my poetry in nature and using found objects in my poetry. I was so happy that Strijdom created an opening for me to contribute to Site_Specific.

Nature is such a poetic and theatrical space where my poetry can truly take flight . I felt honoured that the artists created moments for me to interact with their work.  Thanks especially to Simon Max Bannister, Andrew van der Merwe and Gordon Froud for letting me dialogue with their art via my poetry. As some of you following my blog have noticed, the past year I have found lots of  animation from fire, clay, soil, stone. To be part of this very earth-inspired event has spurred my creativity even more.

Yet I must confess, my energies have been scattered a lot with the Afrika Burn and Site_Specific events - so much stimulation and sharing primal and elemental beauty. Besides utter enchantment with the Burnings, the Creativity and the Love, sleep deprivation was one effect that in time overtook me. I overrode the fatigue and pushed forth wanting to be so much part of these incredible expressive experiences. As much as I was being earthed, I was at the same time being unearthed. That is the life of Lara. I want to share and experience so much yet I have to make peace with the boundaries of my body and soul.

Thanks to all that have shared their hearts and creativity with me. My heart is so filled-up with the hope that this world still has wholesome and beautiful places to explore and be part of. AND my gratitude goes to all for supporting my form of expression. It is a very lonely and daunting task at times.

Applause to Strijdom van der Merwe and his vibrant team who created and organised such a great event as Site_Specific (http://www.sitespecific.org.za/).

Here a poem I performed during the event:

Stone poem

my poem is stone which i lay down in your hand

feel the lines, the shape,

the contours, the textures

you need no eyes to see this poem

you need no ears to hear this poem

FEEL the organica that was purged

by the heaven's fire

into hardy inhabitant of this clay-earth

my poem is stone which i lay down in your hand

feel the weight weighing down

like the fertile earthiness of breasts

into the hollow of your hand

this stone is poem which i lay down in your hand

feel the sound, feel the metaphor,

feel the rhythm and rhyme

break open in soft sand between your fingers

smear this soft powder on your cheeks:

i anoint you the expectant mother

who conceives sand

gives birth to stone

and raises it to mountain