♣ Aug: bower ♥    June: flight ♦

April bower: family portrait ♣    March Wealth of Nations ♥    return to archive

August 2009:

“Why do some birds lie on the ground while their enemies threaten them?...The next time you see a bustard’s nest, ask yourself why. Lie down and try to hide on the plains and see what happens.”

--Gerald Murnane, The Plains, (1982)

Sanctum Theatre invites you to the annual general meeting of the R.S.P.F.C.L.B.M (the Royal Society for the Protection and Furtherance of the Culture and Livelihood of the Bird-headed Minority).

bower raises awareness of the plight of bird-folk world-wide and provides a rare opportunity to witness firsthand the secretive rites of these ancient peoples.

photos

April 2009:

Bower was a clandestine performance installation about homes and homelessness, nests and memories.

Bower existed in two halves. The first half occurred at 4 Sturrock St where the guests were greeted at the gate and led into an anthropomorphic world of man and bird.

The final half took place in the burnt out shell of what was once a great mansion.

"I didn't know whether I was meant to be a person or a bird."

--audience member

 

photos

^{photos by Matthew Kneele and Sarah Barrow}

credits

conceived and orchestrated by Lachlan Plain

the bird-people Colleen Burke, Jon Drews, Aviva Endean and Stella Gray

the care-takers Will Tate and Bill Bretherton

overall design and window sketches by Lachlan Plain

bower installation by Sarah Barrow and Iris Radovic

click here to view behind-the-scenes and research in the Sanctum Theatre scrapbook

click here for further information on any of the artists

^{sponsored by:}

^{121A Donald Street
Brunswick 3056
Victoria, Australia}