Right…back from Sherkin Island. Work is done. Sitting in my Studio Space…reflecting the past 6 weeks. I have to admit actually PLAN A was: “Getting Pissed for today and finishing my analysis tomorrow, basically about Barthes and Foucault`s little philosophical war: “The existence of the Author – whatever ….Modernism, Post Modernism. Social Capitalism for now!!”
Eventually I changed my mind and energies to mop my studio or rather to clean my brain….but only to a certain extend… because I realize that I still have to finish and close(at least) the metaphorical book of my last performance. On this note I might give here for the sake as a appreciation of all our cultural peacemaker work a little retrospection including some visual support of images from my last performance at Mount Gabriel. To get an idea I might publish my proposal. If you don´t like written visual critical statements don´t hesitate and skip it.
BAVA DIT Sherkin Island 07-04-2014 Proposal Module 11: Convergence Detlef Schlich
As a visual artist in my second year at DIT I am presently preparing my last module for this semester which is about Convergence. In my secondary research for this Project I intend to identify artists that try to seek or rather find the spiritual in art in our time like Josef Beuys, Anne-Katrin Spiess and Dominique Mazeauds. Beuys urgently appealed to humanity to restore their connection with a spiritual reality. For Ann-Katrin, performance and ritual have always played an essential role in her work. Dominique’s Ritual Performances and pilgrimages reflect the spiritual in art. She sees her art as political catalyst to activate present and future environmental action and awareness and considered herself as a cultural peacemaker.
For my next Project I will create a performance at the radar station on top of Mount Gabriel. The mountain is with 407 m the highest eminence in the coastal zone south and east of Bantry Bay. For me the radar station, which sits on top of it, is a visual metaphor of the man-made impact in nature and a symbol of the irony of the ‘age of communication’, an age where we lack personal connections, an age where our world gets to its limits physically and our culture is in moral misery.
Through the process of ritual performance I want to become a mediator between a world in physical, cultural and emotional crisis and open myself and the viewer to the potential of the power of the creative experience to create a moment of spiritual awareness.
This will be recorded with Digital Media. In my studio I will use digital and metaphysically and physically Medias e.g. Photoshop/Premiere just as charcoal and acrylics to create a final piece of visual work.
However, I´ve already mentioned that I use the top of Mount Gabriel as starting point for my performance. Here we go:

I gathered a lot of personal strong ritual performance tools to make sure that I can provide the right remedy’s for this mountain or rather location.

To make sure that we can expect a humble welcoming we decide to leave our helicopter at the garage.

I realized that mother earth and father nature supported my performance with a very lovely calm weather.

Time to introduce my lovely assistants.

He was in charge of the hangings of my Power Sheets.

This is Lucy. The major photographer of this performance.

12a — James first test for the pole. Are they capable to keep the tension?

15a — Thomas is very familiar with my ritual performance. He and his 190 BPM Drumming already charges my Shamartism with positive energy as a part of the ongoing Ritual Performance “World Saving Art 2012/13/14”.

Time was short. Everything has to be perfect for Shamartism.

Thomas was warming up his body and soul. I was desperately finding the right place for all the cameras.

10b — This was not the right angle for a performance.

13a — Thom charges his energy. I charge the battery.

Eventually I found a better angle for the major SLR.

James is still working on the installation. I am just involved in my first white balance adjustment.

15a — Lucy and Thomas getting familiar with camera and spirit.

16 (1) — I try to find a way to hang all the sheets as aesthetically as possible for my personal feeling in terms of this subject or rather the performance.

16 (2) — Among from other things found in James a very great personality. We never ever talked about this performance or what his part might be in it. It works perfect. TALK TO ME

16 (3) — Thomas was getting there. We all were just in our elements.

16 (4) — I was still working on some final details in terms of camera settings.

16 (5) — James stil working on the last hangings of the sheets.

16 (6) — It is getting darker and to make sure that we get the best light we can get I have to transform already. An old friend. My teddy bear or rather Holly´s chewing tool is part of my performance. this teddy is exactly the perfect metaphor for our misery. Full stop!!!

Before I really was able to start with my performance I have to attach my extension branches to keep my body and soul connected with this world.

The next 6 images are from my action camera. I love this wide angle and the vivid of colors.

21 (5) — Sorry. but this reminds me really from something different….Uhhhh!!!!

21 (6) — It was tricky to get rid of my transformation. But I made it.

It was – again – a great experience and I thank everyone for making this moment possible. I still have to edit my video but I already have a bunch of work created.