Thursday, February 24, 2011

Video from 2005 of Masks of Goddess Project

I finally figured out how to do UTube, and had fun putting this video of my MASKS OF THE GODDESS Project, made in 2005.  I sold the collection in 2008, after they traveled throughout the U.S. for almost 10 years.  It was a great privilege and honor.


11 comments:

Valerianna said...

Shivers! Thank you, Lauren!! I just had a session with Jewell today. I am in a post intense session dream. I am moved by this/your work. I so wish you were closer so that somehow my Studio of Mythic & Environmental Arts could be enhanced by your gifts. Well, maybe someday I can get a grant to bring you here and have you work your magic.

I will show this video on Monday to my Myth & Symbol class, thank you.
Abundance, magic and magnificence to you!

Trish and Rob MacGregor said...

I'm not even 3 minutes into this and am totally awed! Incredible masks.

Lauren Raine said...

Thanks.....I'm proud that I finally figured out how to put it up!

Valerianna....wish I could meet with Jewell and you in person. Jewell in many ways inspired and helped me on this journey. Would love to visit your studio indeed, and talk about our shared interests. Well, the summer is not yet here. I miss Vermont.

Nicole said...

Lauren,
What an amazing, empowering and captivating gift you have given to all who have seen this performance and your work. It is one thing to be creative and an artist, but to be equally so passionate and have the vision to put your work into this form of expression which you hold so dear is quite inspiring. I only wish I could have seen one of these performances. I am so glad you had this to share with us. Thank you.

I do hope you are feeling well and have received good news.

Cole

John Webb said...

That's fascinating.

I had wondered what your 'Masks of the Goddess' performances were like.

What struck me most in that video was your remark: "What kinds of mythologies do we have, are they serving our needs?"

Joseph Campbell raised exactly that question. He said that we need a mythology for the 21st century, and we haven't got one.

A lot has been talked about Star Wars as being a religion for the 21st century, and Joseph Campbell himself gave some credence to that. This is an exhibition showing Star Wars as embodying Campbell's ideas:
http://www.nasm.si.edu/exhibitions/StarWars/sw-unit1.htm

This is the monomyth:
http://www.nasm.si.edu/exhibitions/StarWars/galmap.htm

But in the Star Wars films, there are virtually no trees nor flowers, anywhere to be seen. The films take place in a man-made world in the sky. Star Wars is a patriarchal religion for the 21st century, about men fighting.

Was that really Joseph Campbell's idea of the future.

George Lucas also produced a "Willow", which was intended to be a similar mythological film with a nature theme, but that film flopped:
http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,967464,00.html

Perhaps Harry Potter.

It's all very well to say that dancing empowers the goddess. But I think there's more to it than that.

Lauren Raine said...

Thanks again, Cole.......yes! I don't have cancer, and my life is really, literally, a whole new opportunity. So I've decided to teach again, and perhaps I've pulled out this video for my own remembrance. The project included many different people with different ways of using the masks. But the results were always powerful - the Goddess with a thousand faces is deeply internalized within all of us, and when "aspected", can provide a blessing for all present, as well as for the performer. I think I need to do a lot more writing about this for my own benefit!

Robur.....I'm a great fan of J.C. But I don't think the world myth(s) he might have meant, or that we need now, are Star Wars, although the Hero's Journey is certainly important in that. The "Return of the Mother" is an emerging world myth whose time has come........I think of Cameron's AVATAR. This film so passionately illustrates Gaianism, and the conflict with the patriarchal paradigm.

I think Joseph Campbell would have loved that film.

Kavod Ha Malajim said...

Your Heart of pure Gold as Marvelous Goddess you are, is shown in this amazing and full of beauty video. Thanks very much for your LIGHT!
Gloria-Kavod from Spain

John Webb said...

Here's an interesting and very topical article 'Which myth will America chose?'

It's from one of your newspapers and actually mentions Obama's speech at Tucson. I think that's the one you mentioned a few weeks ago.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/pythia-peay/academy-awards_b_826464.html

Lauren Raine said...

Thanks Robur.......fascinating article! I agree with many of his comments; personally, speaking of cultural mythologies, I think we're a country very divided as well.

Rozanna said...

Ahh, beautiful; I'm so glad you've mastered the ability to share your other masteries!

Lauren Raine said...

Why, thanks Ro! I would say the same to you! Wish we didn't live so far apart......would love to have a glass or two of red wine with you.