ETHOS Project (2019 - present): ayakokatodance.com/new-page
To the Shore: ETHOS Episode I
(Documentation Total Time: 1:29’45”)
Pivot Arts Festival 2019 &
Ayako Kato/Art Union Humanscape present
ETHOS project views the movement of humanity from multiple perspectives inspired by the similar bird's eye view of ancient wisdoms such as Taoism, Indigenous Beliefs, Stoicism, and beyond. Reflecting on our contemporary ethical orientation, the project has been looking at: the past from the present day (ETHOS I: To the Shore); the present day from the position of the past (ETHOS II: Inception); the future from the past and the present (ETHOS III: LUCA/Res Communis). Ayako is currently working on "ETHOS IV: Degrowth/Cycle/Rebirth," to perceive the past and the present from the future. All initiated with an awareness of nature within and outside ourselves, ETHOS is finding the way of being by keeping its cyclical practice of 8As: Awareness, Acknowledgement, Affirmation, Allowance, Action, Acceptance, Affinity, and Appreciation.
"ETHOS I: To the Shore" was presented as a part of the Pivot Arts Festival in June 2019 to reflect upon the ethical journey of humanity through westernization/Euro-human-centrism.
This meditative performance combines dance, movement, text, and music to illuminate the connection between everyday human gesture, impulse, and wisdom from the past.
ETHOS I: To the Shore was site-specific and took place at the historic Chicago landmark, Colvin House, and Lane Beach. Inspired by the Japanese Chained Poetry structure, the performance offers 36 small events/stanzas in six different locations preceded by a prologue and followed by an epilogue. The audience members are guided as well as make choices to observe five stanzas and create their own synchronic experiences as if our lives go.
Movement Collaboration, Stanza Content Provision and Performance by POETS:
Tuli Bera, Aquarius Ester, Lesley, Keller, Amanda Maraist, Jasmine Mendoza, Margaret Morris, Danielle Ross and Ayako Kato
Soundscape by Jason Roebke, double bass; Wilson Tanner Smith, cello; and Ayako Kato, piano
Costume Design by Amanda Franck
Research Advice by Katsushi Hikasa
Conceived and Directed by Ayako Kato
CHAINED POETRY PERFORMANCE
Watching all will give you a bird’s eye view and meditative experience.
Or you may pick any scene to view.
In this edit, you experience limited stanzas, short events, as we all experience events in daily life within our own choices and encounters by chance. Look for more stanza collection to peak in the future.
CHAPTER 1: FACE / PROLOGUE | Movement Installation (from 0’00” for total: 19’20”)
Welcoming Movement Installation (from 0’00” for 13’17”)
Apple dropped by Aquarius Ester (from 13’18” for 1’24”)
Tagore’s poem recited in Bengali by Tuli Bera
(A gift for the ETHOS Episode I Journey: from 16’45” for 2’33”)
Poem Thirteen from Gitanjali (Song Offerings) by Rabindranath Tagore
CHAPTER 2: REVERSE / BREAK | Five Events / Stanzas (from 19’20” for total: 41’45”)
[Appeared in the Documentation]
Kitchen I
Margaret Morris
(from 19’20” for 6’18”)
Conference Room I
Lesley Keller
(from 25’58” for 3’33”)
Library I
Jasmine Mendoza
Recited from A Field Guide to Getting Lost by Rebecca Solnit
(from 29’31” for 1’34”)
Podium
Amanda Maraist
with the sound of Conference Room by Ayako Kato
(from 31’05” for 5’00”)
&
Ayako Kato
(from 36’05” for 8’01”)
Apple Biting I
Margaret Morris
(from 44’06” for 0’37”)
Kitchen II
Lesley Keller
(from 44’43” for 1’17”)
Purple Bathroom
Aquarius Ester
(from 45’00” for 4’49”)
Conference Room II
Danielle Ross
(from 49’53” for 4’18”)
Apple Biting II
Margaret Morris
(from 53’37” for 0’10”)
Meditation Corner I
Amanda Maraist
(from 53’47” for 2’41”)
Kitchen III
Jasmine Mendoza
(from 56’29” for 1’28”)
Library II
Tuli Bera*
(from 57’58” for 1’56”)
*You can hear the English translation of Tagore’s poem
Meditation Corner II, III, & IV
Margaret Morris, Jasmine Mendoza, & Tuli Bera
(from 59’56” for 1’09”)
CHAPTER 3: FACE of AFTERGLOW / RAPID | Steps and Ropes (from 1:01’06” for 15’43”)
Ensemble by Poets
Soundscape by Jason Roebke
ETHOS Announcement by Ayako Kato
(from 1:07’28” for 5’10”)
CHAPTER 4: REVERSE of AFTERGLOW / EPILOGUE | To the Shore
(from 1:16’51” for 12’57”)
To the Shore: 1:25'00"-1:29'48"
Ensemble by Poets
Soundscape by Nature, Town, People
Wilson Tanner Smith, cello; Jason Roebke, double bass
artunionhumanscape.net
Picture this Post review:
picturethispost.com/ayako-kato-art-union-humanscape-to-the-shore-ethos-episode-i-review-enlightened-story-telling/
Pivot Arts Meet the Artist Interview on ETHOS:
pivotarts.org/2019/04/meet-the-artist-ayako-kato/