The Vertical Journey – a tribute to the still unknown by Marcus NeustetterÂ
The artist and his collaborators explore spaces in between: from the vastness of the universe, with earth as our space ship, to the temporal experience of the everyday. In July 2019 The Vertical Journey at Navel Hill Planetarium, Bloemfontein, launched a series of planetarium dome short films accompanied by live improvisations. The series is developed out of creative experiments with local artists, learners from Navalsig High School, the Naval Hill Planetarium and the Boyden Observatory.
This work ambitiously attempts to imagine, manifest and animate the mysteries of infinite space while at the same time conjuring the unarticulated stories of the people that live in the city where the planetarium dome rests.
The programme is realized in collaboration with the Programme for Innovation in Artform Development (PIAD), an initiative of the University of the Free State and the Vrystaat Art Festival, through the generous support of The Andrew. W. Mellon Foundation. Project partners in 2018 and 2019 are the Trinity Session, Navalsig High School and surrounding community, the Naval Hill Planetarium and the Boyden Observatory. The Vertical Journey won The Blinkers Award for best Live and Experimental Art Production at the Vrystaat Art Festival 2019.
CREDITS
The Vertical Journey – a tribute to the still unknown
a planetarium show by Marcus Neustetter
in collaboration with
Mark Edwards – film,
Wayne Reddiar – sound,
Manzikazi Scota – vocals,
Sifiso Teddy Mhlambi – performance,
Xolisile Bongwana – vocals / performance,
Elrico Plaatjies – performance,
Mariette Erwee – scientist / planetarium show expert,
Ofentse Letebele – artist / planetarium show expert,
Zanda Nosenga – assistant / poet,
Regienald Milanzi – assistant,
Reitumetse Lebatla – assistant
The 2018 and 2019 participants:
Reitumetse Lebatla, Regienald Milanzi, Violet Isaacs, Kamogelo Chao, Hakirah Bosch, Sylvia Chaka, Wendy Menong, Zanda Nosenga, Benedicta Osei, Perseverance Mavuso With
Thanks to:
University of the Free State РAngela de Jesus, Min̩ Kleynhans
Vrystaat Art Festival – Ricardo Peach
Naval Hill Planetarium РProf Matie Hoffman, Dr. Hendrik Van Heerden, L̩on Snyman, Dinah Mangope
Boyden Observatory – Dawie van Jaarsveldt
The Trinity Session – Stephen Hobbs, Paul Setate, Ciara Struwig
The project is developed in partnership with the Programme for Innovation in Artform Development (PIAD), an initiative of the University of the Free State and the Vrystaat Art Festival, generously supported by The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation.
