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Escalier to Dawn

Russia
2021


Combustion
Performances

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Public Art - Ephemeral Architecture
Client: Nikolai Sculpture Park
Festival: Maslanitsa Design Team: Maetherea (Cristina Morbi)

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The concept behind The ‘Rite of Spring’, is inspired to the wonderful orchestra and performative artwork of "Pictures of Pagan Russia in Two Parts" of Stravinsky; the scenario of the Art Installation depicts rituals celebrating the advent of spring happening around the ‘viewing tower’ or ‘staircase to dawn’.

The Name:
DAWN: The noun dawn refers to the first light of day, or the first time period, like the dawn of a new era. Escalier - Staircase, represents the rite of passage to a new space, in this case a temporal act. It is the architectural transposition of the mountain, looking above new territories as observation towers.

The Shape:
Mistic Circles inspired to the pagan dance are the guidelines of the design which develop concetrically to create a landscape of performative work. The structure - in pallet - resamble a dancing skirt which moves in circles creating a dynamic dance. It is facing east - with west at its background.


ADORATION OF THE EARTH

MOUNTAINS have been for decades observation towers, shaped by the weather, they are silent observer and point of meditation - looking forward to the future in the dawn.

By nature we are creatures of hope, always ready to be deceived again, climbing a mountain represent the ultimate path to future scenarios, resolving past cycles and embracing the new horizon.

The Rite of Spring - Staircase to Dawn - Represents the subconscius hope of the future through hardship. The propitious rituals performed around the schulpture will reconnect us with nature and the concept of cycles - time and season, and how they have been shaping our consciusness in the past year and towards the sunrise again tomorrow.


The Function:
On the east side of the structural dress the pallets are disposed to reate a intricate pattern which functions as an amphitheatre - looking towards west - the sunset. In the days before the bonfire this raised amphitheatre will become a space to sit and interact with the structure.

The Performance:
The stip composition of pallet create a staircase towards the top of the structure - which will host the main perforer. At the top of the viewing tower the structure aquire the effect of a dress - completed by the view of the performer which is wearing the sculpture. All around other performers can complete togetehr with the orchestra the performance. Spring rounds to invite the gods of spring for a fertile future of the year after the long winter creating mystic circles aroud the sculpture. The staircase to dawn long to the hope after the winter.


The Fire:
After the procession to the stage, the fire is the most mystical and alchemical performance of the sculpture.
Hidden in the pallets structure, a series of individual foil packets containing powder for pyrotechnic composition: Blue lue flames, are created using copper chloride or calcium chloride while turquoise flames, use copper sulfate. The colors of the fire - from the warmer to the coolest, echoes the sunset gradient and create a breathtaking final act of the sculpture.









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