Sacred Environment
Live VR performance Sacred Environment is commissioned for the concert hall and explores the changing meaning of sacred ground in our demythologised society.
“Moore invited Van Leer to Australia, where they took a three-hour drive north from Sydney, along the Great North Road into the Yengo mountain area, a place of great spiritual significance to indigenous Australians.”
ancient songlines & virtual reality
Sacred Environment is a ground-breaking work by the Dutch-Australian composer Kate Moore and visual artist Ruben Van Leer, commissioned by the Holland Festival and NTR Radio, premiered in 2017 at The Concertgebouw Amsterdam. The oratorio was performed and sung by the Netherlands Radio Philharmonic Orchestra, the Netherlands Radio Choir and soprano Alex Oomens. VR performer Esther Mugambi goes on a virtual reality dream-track towards the Hunter Valley in Australia, originally the territory of the Dharug, Darkinjung and Wonnarua people. The audience will follow her on a big screen in search of the stoneless temple. In this piece, the changing meaning of sacred ground in our demythologised society is being explored.
Premiering at the Concertgebouw Amsterdam, Holland Festival Proms 2017
Capturing digital scans of parts of the Australian bush with spiritual significance
Ruben Van Leer making lidar scans
“In her epic post-minimalist style, Moore suggested grand vistas. On a giant screen, Ruben Van Leer’s pointillist laserscan images of Hunter Valley in Australia formed an eye-catching visual counterpart.”
Lidar scan of a dead Eucalyptus tree
Lidar scan of honey comb cave scan
Sound reactive point cloud VR visualiser tool
respecting the bush spirits
“With great privilege Uncle John and Uncle Phil, two elders from the local community, took us on hikes along The Great North Road not far from Sidney. Kate’s music compositions are inspired by the grandeur of the overwhelming natural environment and cultural meanings this area of Australia caries; also the place where she grew up. Both Uncles and Kate where able to introduce me to some of the magical sites, steep cliffs, honeycomb caves and sights with significant spiritual meaning around mount Yengo. Also providing the landscape for my Lidar scans finally shaping the VR worlds I designed for stage. Taking back these ‘natural spirits’ to Amsterdam in digital form, my goal was to turn the walls of the Concertgebouw into the endless bush using projections and virtual reality. I’m thankful this adventurous project gave me a glimpse into some of the hidden meanings that our animistic Australian ancestors preserved. That at the same time seem so relevant for my Western broadband generation today.” –RVL
VR performer Esther Mugambi standing in the middle of the audience
Soprano Alex Oomens, didgeridoo player Lies Beijerinck and conductor Brad Lubman
POV projection of realtime VR environments
credits
| visual artist: | Ruben Van Leer |
| composer: | Kate Moore |
| VR performer: | Esther Mugambi |
| soprano: | Alex Oomens |
| didgeridoo: | Lies Beijerinck |
| orchestra: | Radio Filharmonisch Orkest |
| choir: | Groot Omroepkoor |
| dramaturgist: | Martin Butler |
| tech programmer: | Victor Martins |
| VR interfacing: | Boompje Studio |
| stylist: | Mai Marie Dijksma |
| lidar scans: | Andrew Borscz |
| 360 video: | Peejee Doorduin |
| bush guides: | Uncles John & Phil |
| programmer: | Jochem Valkenburg |
| production: | Holland Festival & Truth.io |
| concert hall: | Het Concertgebouw |
| with support of: | Amsterdam Fund for the Arts |
| sponsor: | Google Arts & Culture |
filmmaker & media-artist
