Valley of Death & Destruction: Cathryn Thompson photo: Piers Buxton
Conference of the Birds is a community-based event inspired by the resilience, artistic talents & community spirit of the people of the Latrobe Valley & South Gippsland & celebrates the beautiful bird-life on lands we call home. The pilgrimage explores country, survival & belonging created in collaboration with First Nations peoples, artists & the broader community.
Based loosely on the Sufi poem by 12thC poet Farīd ud-Dīn Attār Conference of the Birds art-walk is conceived of as a processional night -time pilgrimage along the Boolarra-Mirboo North Rail Trail.
The Valley of the Quest:
Funding from Regional Arts Victoria, Creative Latrobe, Mirboo North & District Community Foundation & the Boolarra Community Development Group supported the development of this first valley in collaboration with Traditional Owners, local youth groups & schools, artists, multicultural community & a variety of community groups to create the first step in this epic tale.
The story in brief
Being without leadership &in a time of chaos - all the world’s birds gather to discuss the crisis they face. Together they decide to go in search of ‘the answer’ but to do so must embark on a perilous pilgrimage travel through 7 differently themed valleys. When the birds reach their destination they gaze into a mirror-like lake to find it is themselves – the collective – who hold the answers to survival & building a sustainable future.
The Valleys are:
1. The Valley of the Quest
2. The Valley of Love
3. The Valley of Independence, Pride & Detachment
4. The Valley of Deprivation, Poverty and Death
5. The Valley of Wonderment, Astonishment & Bewilderment
6. The Valley of Knowledge, Understanding & Contemplation
7.The Valley of Harmony & Unity
about.
Douglas & Mackay
Gilbert Douglas & Margie Mackay are co-Artistic Directors of the works they create,
and are based in Boolarra in the Latrobe Valley, West Gippsland, Australia.
D&M create art events from intimate & indoor to epic-scale & site-specific.
Best described as 'contemporary ceremonies' their works blur boundaries between art & ritual.
Grounded in place & moment, these events are richly textured explorations of participatory art,
ceremonial & choreographic forms, with "art of community" practices.
D&M are committed to creating works of high artistic merit & infectious community spirit by coordinating teams of collaborators, of all abilities & identities, in emplaced works that speak to the spirit of the times. Much of their work takes place in outdoor & non conventional theatre spaces, utilising the aesthetic & artistic possibilities of varied & often challenging sites.
Highly experienced & respected practitioners in community cultural development, they have collaborated in works across Australia, Zimbabwe and in South Africa, & individually throughout Europe, Africa, Asia, USA, South America and Australia.
Coming soon!
photo: courtesy Africa Centre
The Valley of the Quest
This project has been made possible by the Australian Government’s Regional Arts Fund, which supports the arts in regional and remote Australia.
Conference of the Birds is also supported by the Mirboo North & District Community Foundation.
This project has also been made possible by Creative Latrobe Creative Latrobe is an initiative of the Latrobe Health Assembly within the Latrobe Health Innovation Zone and Latrobe City Council. Funded by the State Government.
Boolarra Pop-Up Library, Railway Park Artwork by Abbas Mehran