This week, interdisciplinary earthworks artist Jemila MacEwan joins Asia to talk about their grounded, meditative practice.
Jemila and Asia begin their conversation by reflecting on the changing of the seasons, and the powerful emotional, psychological, and social shifts that occur when spring begins (1:57).
Jemila contemplates the fear and dread that many people in the Western world experience in relation to spring, with the knowledge that what comes into being in spring will soon die in autumn (3:39).
They discuss how many of these anxieties and transformations are the foundation of their upcoming durational performance, “Seed Meditation,” which takes place over the course of 10 days and involves the artist holding a germinating seed in their hands-- a public invitation to contemplate birth, growth, life and death (6:21).
Jemila and Asia discuss the choice of Washington Square Park as the site for the performance (10:10) and consider the long history of protest and community building that has occurred in the park (11:36).
They reflect on the risks of the performance-- including whether or not the seed successfully germinates-- and from there, they discuss the general challenges that durational artists experience when committing to long-form work (16:05).
Jemila acknowledges the crucial role that community support plays in their practice (21:27). They plan to establish a reciprocal relationship between them and their audience and participants by offering passersby a book containing information on how to grow and care for a seed, and how to embark upon their own personal seed meditation (28:02).
“Seed Meditation” is one in a long line of performance art earthworks, and Jemila emphasizes the myriad lessons that we can learn from studying and sitting with nature (30:52). They contemplate the cycle of life and death and how human bodies return to the earth and nourish new life (34:07).
The episode concludes with Jemila and Asia recalling the scientific principle that energy cannot be created or destroyed, only altered-- and both artists discuss the existential comfort and peace that realization can bring to our increasingly turbulent and anxiety-ridden culture (36:17).
Follow Jemila on Instagram @jemila_macewan and online at www.jemilamacewan.com
This podcast is produced and edited by Asia Stewart.
Find Asia online @asiastewart and @performvu