North-South-East-West at Western Mindanao State University Zamboanga, February 2005.
The North-South-East-West Video Installation with Metis storyteller Graham Thompson was presented at the Western Mindanao State University, Zamboanga Philippines, February 2005.
Multi-Media Canadian Ethnic Rites Show in WMSU on February 24; Sutherland To Grace Affair, 10 Feb 2005
A CANADIAN aboriginal artist will recreate North American ethnic rites in their native settings through his self-crafted two- hour multi-media show to be held at the Western Mindanao State University (WMSU) on Thursday, February 24.
Dubbed as “North, South, East, West version 2.0,” artist Graham Thompson’s show in traveling in eight cities in the Philippines, a Canadian embassy correspondence to WMSU president Dr. Eldigario Gonzales said.
The media installation is “concerned with enchancing our emotional connection to the earth by creating an immersive audio-visual environment of video monitors, projectors, DVD players, computer workstations, interactive CDROM,” the embassy said.
Canadian ambassador to the Philippines Peter Sutherland will speak during the show.
Thompson specializes in the use of new media, such as digital computer technology, to artfully discuss native and aboriginal cultures, the embassy added. His trip to Zamboanga is intended to share his North American ethnic culture with Philippine lumads.
“‘In North South East West 2.0’, Thompson tries to recreate the hypnotic environment of (Canadian aboriginal) sweat lodge, by emulating the atmosphere of chanting and repetitive rhythms of the rattles within the darkness of the lodge through the use of multiple monitors and sound tracks with a darkened gallery setting. The repetition of audio-visual themes on overlapping displays engages the audience in a complex environment of sounds and images to provoke a feeling of belongingness and inclusion and a feeling of shared experience,” the embassy said in elaboration.
The show, it added, “was designed to create a ceremonial experience that permitted self-reflection and examination of one’s life stages and to explore our spiritual and psychological relations to the earth.”
WMSU Public Affairs Director Prof. Ali T. Yacub said the show will be held at the university’s Social Hall at 10 to 12 o’clock, February 24. It is open to the public. (Rey-Luis Banagudos, Public Affairs Office, WMSU)