Argentina, Buenos Aires, Cemeteries, Recoleta Cemetery
When worlds connect
May Day has fascinated me for almost as far back as I can remember. As children, we went every year to Chilham Fair, where boys and girls skipped around a maypole, weaving magic with their ribbons. I longed to join in.
In my last year at university, I got my chance when I choreographed and starred in my own version of Tess of the d’Urbervilles, a dance-drama intertwining the tragic tale with May folk traditions. To fulfil my childhood fantasy, I placed a maypole at the centre of the action.
Eleven years later, I found myself on Jill Purce’s Healing Voice workshop in Devon. And what should begin our week but a torchlit May Day procession. We set off at dawn, sang ancient songs and gathered dew. A memorable start to one of the most profound weeks of my life.
And now, another 11 years on, I’m sitting here on May Day, looking for an excuse to show you one of my favourite photos from Recoleta Cemetery, my Praying ghost. Obviously not a real phantom, but rather a reflection of a statue behind me, who slipped across the way to appear in this tomb. The first of May is said to be a day when the veil between worlds is thin. I don’t know about you, but I can see heaven and earth connecting here.
how do you do those photos? They’re really cool. Unfortunately in England May Day is looking VERY grim. Sky: Grey and white. Weather: cold and very rainy. What a lovely day it is. Hope it is better in Beunos Aires.
From Issy (and Cheryl)
How lovely to get a comment from you, Issy. Praise indeed that you think my photos are cool. I spend a lot of time in the cemetery, so I know where interesting reflections land, and generally have a radar for a particular type of image (the sort you’re seeing on my blog).
Oh dear re your bank holiday weekend weather. We’re having the sort of weather you should be having! After a cold spell, it was up in the 20s yesterday and the pavements are full of yellow autumn leaves, sort of autumn-cum-spring. Thinking of you both. Love to you and Cheryl.
Interesting how the 1st of May has some significance everywhere except in North America. Here its just the day after the 30th of April and we hope the trees are budded by now.
This is one supremely beautiful shot! It really captures your attention and holds it. The tranparency of the figure decreases from the bottom and becomes almost solid at the hands and face – couldn’t be more perfect.
Another great inspired shot, Julie-Anne.
Yes May Day is the day of fertility and although the traditional English Village celebrations are fading, I understand in Eastern Europe they are still very much alive….Of course, as little girls we didn’t understand the meaning necessarily when we danced around the May Poles.
xxxx
Every day that I receive an e-mail and an image from you is a special day. Keep shooting those inspirational photos! Wish you could be here for my studio opening. Love Me
Couldn’t ask for a better write-up of this photo – thank you. You know your feedback means a lot to me. So you weren’t dancing round a maypole or gathering dew at the crack of dawn on Saturday then?!
Thank you, Ali. Did you actually get to do the maypole dancing when you were little then? So interesting, all these rituals. There’s much more to it than meets the eye. When I used the maypole in my dance piece, it was very much as a phallic symbol – Alec drawing Tess in towards it as he seduced her. When I was doing a bit of research on Saturday, I found this on Jill Purce’s website: ‘…May Day, a festival of fecundity when the forces of heaven penetrate the earth (represented in traditional England by the Maypole)’. If I did know that at one time – about the maypole connecting heaven and earth – I’d forgotten.
KC, And what a joy it is to me that we’re still in touch 21 years after our Worldways Canada days. Wow, have we really known each other that long?! Thanks for your encouraging words. Would love it if I could come to your studio opening. Your website looks and sounds wonderful, by the way (has your tone of voice).
This piece of art touched me and inspires me. So glad it is part of my life now.
Sandra, I couldn’t be happier knowing that my Praying ghost will watch over your home. Even when we don’t see it, that connection is always there.