Becoming One

 

“I touch the earth and the earth touches me”- Hugh Prather

 

We hold the earth’s power in our feet, our root. The power of water is in our sexual center. Our gut power is fire. Our heart power is air. And the ether powers our throat. All of these elements of nature are found in our body. “Becoming One” is about merging with these elements, connecting with them and aligning our power to them.

 

I use my body in the photoshoot as a way to show the human connection with each element. I am becoming one with each element much how one would become one with a lover. A divine connection.

 

The act of creating this series was a way of honoring each element, and honoring each part of myself. It was a way of offering my body to the earth, my creative energy to the water, my love to the air, my bliss to the ether. In doing so, I am reconnecting to the natural source- I am feeding and being fed.  

 

I hope to inspire the viewers to interact with nature in a more intimate and sensual way.  I wish for them to feel their own connection with their surroundings. Building a closer relationship with earth and with the self will allow us to treat the earth and ourselves with love and understanding. The performance prompts poem book is for viewers to take and follow with their own photographs shared and documented with the hashtags. My photographs can offer as an example of one way to interpret the prompts. This poetry book was inspired by Yoko Ono’s performance prompts found in Grapefruit and Acorn.

 

“The earth recognizes people in whom God flowers.

There is a sensuousness, a centeredness, a grace to their movement.

There is a relaxed gentility of power flowing quietly within and beneath their action.

There is a humble awareness about them, a reverence,

a sense of humor and a sense of the sacred entwined.

They are magical people for whom the Earth has longed.”

                                  ~Starseed

 

Mandey Lund grew up in Newhall, Iowa. She received her Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from the University of Northern Iowa in 2014. She moved to Bloomington in 2015. Becoming One was shot near Forster, New South Wales, Australia at Imagine Artist Residency in February 2017. Special thank you to all of those that donated towards this trip.