Every Earth Day thousands celebrate the planet where we live - but many might be wondering about the origins of earth. A multi-media presentation this weekend in Homer approaches that mystery through music, poetry and scientific data.
The producers of Effects of Gravity call it an intersection of disciplines. Writer David Gonzalez was one of the people behind creating a production that put those pieces together.
“Our goal was to find the very precise and very delicate balance between arts and sciences, between the imagination and the literal documented evidence of the knowledge we have about the universe's story,” said Gonzalez.
Gonzalez plays off of Ithaca College professor of physics and astronomy Luke Keller to present the universe in a way that mixes science and art. Guitarist Alavaro Domene crafts music to enhance the performance, sometimes ethereal and sometimes dramatic. As the audience takes in scientific data, they hear poems that connect the science to their lived experiences. It’s not a musical performance; it’s not a scientific lecture and it’s not a poetry reading. By combining all three, Keller suggest the production becomes something entirely new.
“It may change people's perception, but I think it also catches them off guard in a way that makes learning more possible,” added Keller. “The biggest barrier to learning, in my experience as a teacher, is thinking you already know, and so we can kind of surprise people.”
Audience reactions suggest people understand the universe and earth on a different level. They describe the integration of the music, poetry and astronomy as a new way to experience each. Others suggest they were moved to want to act to preserve the earth. And one audience member said a song sounded like it belonged in a horror movie. Gonzalez suggests that for the performance to work, everyone needs to be able to understand one another's medium.
“At the very end, Luke is the poet, he's reciting a poem, and I am giving some of the scientific data so that our roles as experimenters, as laboratorians, becomes more evident,” explained Gonzalez. “We've taken steps towards one another's vocabularies, and we've taken steps towards a greater appreciation of each other's disciplines.”
(Listen to more about environmental issues on our Deeper Shade of Green podcast)
The Effects of Gravity looks back on the formations of the universe, but the group knows they also have to look forward toward its future. The program believes that empowerment can be brought on by understanding the bigger picture of creation and they ask their audience to act.
“The point that we make is that taking care of the planet is the natural thing to do. It's all we have to do is cooperate with the environment that that enabled our existence and that we know exactly how to steward the planet, and we've written into that,” said Keller
“So that’s where we end up. Do we take responsibility for the planet and act, or don’t we. And as Luke just said, if we don’t, we’re ignoring 14 billion years of these processes that enabled the fabulous mind-art experience to be present for us,” added Gonzalez.
The Effects of Gravity will be at the Center for the Arts of Homer on Saturday, April 26th for a 8:00 p.m. performance. You can find tickets online at Center4Art.ORG.
Homer Center for the Arts is a supporter of WAER Syracuse Public Media
