About
Construction of the work will take place on Saturday 17th february 2007 at the Sustainable Living Festival in Federation Square (Melbourne, Australia).
Extending upon the 2007 Sustainable Living Festival theme of “Sustainability: you’re a part of it”, the Interdependence Mandala helps us contemplate our interdependence not only on other people but our whole ecosystem for life, and also the consequences of our actions.
The project is requires the input of others to complete it, but also to enable reflection on the process of creating through to the choice of materials and it’s effect on the environment after the life of the mandala.
Dry or sand painting may be a more appropriate way to describe this project. Though it will not be made of sand either. The Mandala explores and communicates the idea of interdependence.
The work will be a dry painting or collage made of organic materials (readily biodegradable) on the ground which will be swept up at the end of the project. The work will be documented through out it's construction. This documentation as well as the information gathered on this web site will be the only record of the work, which will be made available to all participants and interested parties.
Here is an early concept of the proposed mandala:
The dome is 4.25 metres in diameter. To allow visitors to step inside and walk around the mandala will be approximately 2.3 metres across. Potentially it can spread out of the dome through one of the doorways.
I hope that this project will be a catalyst to start more serious and in depth discussion about the ideas of sustainability in the practice of visual designers.
Principles of Practice
The work is not only about the final piece, but the practice of those involved. It is hoped to inspire the audience not only to think about the ideas of interdependence in our world and on the environment, but also the manner in which we conduct our work. Not only the way materials are found, or created, but the eventual disposal of the materials afterwards and the impact they have. And also the manner in which we travel and move about. Help is being sought in moving any materials for this project (and a second related project at the festival) by human powered modes of transport (bikes with bike trailers etc)
The manner in which we practice is just as important as the outcomes of our practice. It is hoped also that this process can be demonstrated to viewers of the event.
