Holiwater: Installation and performances
19 September – 4 October 2009

Holiwater, a two-week installation embracing photography and film, classical Baul singing, electronic music, and breathtaking live performances, opens at the Govett-Brewster Art Gallery this month.

The Govett-Brewster Art Gallery in New Plymouth is the sole host for the Holiwater performances in New Zealand on 2 and 3 October.

A collaboration between New Zealand filmmaker Andrei Jewell and international musicians, the Holiwater Project entertains and engages on both an arts and action level across world-wide audiences.

The installation of film, photography and music culminates at the Gallery, on Friday 2 and Saturday 3 October, with captivating public performances conceived to bring the experience of the river to the audience. Indian Baul singers will perform accompanied by live percussion and electronic music beds, within an environment of reflective video projection.

The Bauls of Bengal connect music, spirituality and nature. Their ecstatic path of music is a way of life, which is central to their community and traditions.

The Holiwater Project brings together a cinematic vision of the Ganges river. The project’s upcoming Holiwater feature length documentary is a film inspired by the Baul tradition whilst threading together leading Indian visionaries and environmentalists to consider consciousness as a source of spiritual and scientific wisdom. The project’s intention is a celebration of consciousness as a state of harmony with nature, where we are all connected. Water thus becomes a powerful metaphor and visceral element to illustrate our connection to each other and the Earth as a living, breathing being. The Baul’s tradition is one that celebrates nature while venerating water as the source of all life.

Holiwater curator and Govett-Brewster Art Gallery Director Rhana Devenport says the Project evokes questions relevant to all of us. “With water quality an ever growing concern in New Zealand and Taranaki, Holiwater’s focus on this global issue through traditional mystic singing, contemporary sound and visual environments are indeed important and timely.”

Also showing at the Govett-Brewster Art Gallery this spring is Nalini Malani from 10 October to 29 November.

In the holy town of Pushkar shoting a sequence for the show with our friend Satu doing a water puja

Andrei shooting at Pushkar

Women pilgrims gathering at Pushkar lake….

Andrei in the Pushkar lake doing a ceremonial string blessing as start of the installation art work

an envrionmentalist of Jodhpur who works on water harvesting through ancient systems of Rajasthan

a string shot being performed at Pushkar

Andrei chats with local brahmin priest Satu

A nearly dried up pond which locals use for drinking water illustrates how Rajasthan situation is

Andrei chats with a local tonga wallah in Jodhpur

On the road in rajasthan…the locals always friendly and up for interaction with the performance art work with thread

our intrepid vehicle with local hi tech shooting equipment strapped to the roof top… a ladder always comes in handy!

recording gypsy musicians in Pushkar….lovely people

shooting women walking with water pots called kalash…a traditional way of carrying water

Andrei shooting camels in the desert twilight

camel wrangling in last light can be tricky

shooting a yogi – sadhu Ram dass …he fed us from food cooked over his fire after….nice dal batti!

In the process of photographing a wild young gypsy princess from Jaiselmer….gorgeous!

a clan of gypsy girls from the desert gather with AJ for one of our shoots for the installation work

a ladder comes in handy in a Rajasthani salt lake….

caught in a dense fog we drive at 20kms per hour…it takes all night to reach our destination…the craziest new year’s eve ever

a regular scene from many long night journeys across the desert

in Rishikesk shooting with Yogi Ram on the banks of the Ganges in the foothills of Himalayas

Andrei shoots while Tom Bailey handles the sound…

Tom B. noodling on the key boards in late afternoon over looking the Ganga….nice day!

Yogi Ram and Andrei ….good vibe with the locals

Andrei in the Ganga….Rishikesh…the swim was cold but uber refreshing …yes!

With all the tech crew from Delhi…Sanjoy Roy and Teamwork films help out with the Kund installation logistics…this one is gonna be interesting!

Andrei Jewell with old mate James Pinker checking out the Kund site for the performance at Jaipur Festival

At a Puja in a local Ganesh temple to kick things off right the crew come for a blessing …nice vibe!

The crew, some of the band and Beth Jewell outside the temple in Jaipur Ganesh Temple….

Album & Documentary – Release June ’07