By Aero Coomer
I was invited to observe and immerse myself in EMERGENCE – the Opening Act here in Hawaii of the Resonance Project; an endeavor setting its sights on building a massive Fibonacci conch shell structure for a community event space. I entered the event not knowing what I was getting myself into – but nourished by the container, I walked away with a deeper understanding of Community, Art, and Innovation.
The event was held in a private location here in lower Puna on March 14th. This ceremonious event was opened with some very ethereal sound healing and sacred songs. Our group was indulged to collectively consume some heart opening cacao for our individual and collective wellness. We walked into the event, each with an individual focus . . . but as time went on we narrowed our vision into what we intended for holding space for group consciousness. We were just emerging, in a sense, and just beginning to be brought into synchronic harmonic resonance.
Art can be a difficult thing to describe. Everyone has different tastes in defining what is art to them. Although art can be many things to many people, at its root it is an imaginative force, a creative force that continually seeks to express deeper forms of consciousness, embodied and grounded into physical form. Whether that be painting, writing, statue, sculpture, or much more. With Resonance, we find a vision for much more.
I believe the nature of art is to lure us into a more encompassing inner-standing and explanation of life around us. In my perspective, in our modern age, rarely does art take shape in any new forms that seem foreign to us – yet this project borders on that fringe. In many ways, much of the art out there is just a photocopy of what came before. True art, however, can be described as one giant standing on top of another giant. This architectural space is indeed a giant.
This art project attempts to bring into being an interactive experience, where individuals and communities get to play and thrive within the physical forms of artistic expression.
At the physical level, the Resonance project is a bamboo sculpture standing 36 feet tall and 36 feet wide. It is a multi-story building event space, made from natural materials, mostly bamboo, but will also incorporate copper shingles and natural netting for the inside.
It is a hybrid of both artistic creation and construction; purpose based to hold space for community events and sound healings. But inspirational in the process.
Infused with ladders and netting to crawl and play on just like a playground for big kids, Resonance beckons you to explore the inside of the structure fully. Yet the Resonance project can not just be pushed aside as a playground for big kids.
However, play is an essential component of human nature, as our brains are scientifically hardwired into just a few primal circuits. Play is one of the most enjoyable, and gets us out of the negative circuits of fear, anger, and sadness. To that extent, rejoicing in play helps create new pathways for experiencing the world.
The Resonance project is a playful art foray on a whole new scale never experienced before. It is simultaneously a large sculpture, dance stage, archaic tool, sound healing device, and sanctuary space. Symbolic of both the ability to listen deeply, as well as the inherent sacred geometry of the physical world.
It is the nexus where art, community, sound, beauty, and play all intersect in a Venn diagram of beatific confluence.
It is the primordial conch shell being blown loudly, to call the community back home.
Within the spiraling conch, the sounds being blown inside will be taking much inspiration from the sounds of the ocean, especially whales and water. The intention is to bring people together into homeostasis via a collective frequency in this auditorium of sight and sound. An entire team of audio engineers is weaving together these oceanic soundwaves for our listening pleasure.
Inspired by Burning Man, Elliot Fabri is the brainchild of this massive undertaking. All the while many different teams are working together to make this vision a reality. The bones of the structure are being designed and built at Bamboo University in Bali. The next goal is to raise the funds and get the structure to Burning Man. Multiple grants are being sought out to reach the six-figure goal necessary to build and ship this to the Black Rock desert.
Whoever is the prime benefactor of this project will get first rights to install this immersive art & event space in their backyard. We are hoping some Puna benefactors will help bring this beautiful art project back to our beloved island.
Resonance refers to many things, but essentially the resonance frequency that brings us all together into collective healing and power. There is an interesting thing that happens when we all start resonating . . . there is a sympathetic reaction amongst the masses, that we all begin to vibrate at the same frequency. Our vision begins to overlap with each other . . . we start to see that we all want the same things . . . love, trust, play, peace, to name a few. Even without the physical structure yet built, the Resonance Project was an inspiration to us all.
The ceremony was closed with Kanaka Maoli blowing the conch, and triggering in us those primal memories related to community, love, and home. Reminding us of our connections and one human family . . . clearly, we were all beginning to resonate.
Feel free to contact us via email if you would like any more info or contact with the Project.
For even more information, or to donate, please visit the fundraiser website at:
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Aero Coomer
Aero grew up in a log cabin in the thick Wisconsin woods and has never been able to shake the Wilderness from his Soul.
A decades-long forager and wildcrafter, from Portland to Arcata to San Francisco, he supplied many grocery stores, restaurants, & farmers’ markets with gourmet mushrooms.
In the last decade, medicinal mushrooms and plants such as reishi, chaga, and lion's mane have taken a focal point in his life for his healing process, so he started Old Growth Organics, as he continually refines and creates some of the cleanest and most potent medicinal mushroom and la’au lapa’au products around. Find him at the farmers market just giving away the best Chaga Chai you have ever tried.
20-year master gardener, blue ribbon flower grower, with the knowledge to create diverse & specific compost teas. Highly attuned to the Moon and Elementals, he used his visionary artist skills to channel a new Planetary Moon Calendar, amongst other agricultural inventions. Here in Hawai'i, he has spent time as a teacher and permaculture facilitator at the Hawaiian Sanctuary.
Long-term volunteer of many issues of social justice, family and human rights, environmental rights, indigenous rights, food sovereignty, and community solidarity- here to continue the mission of bringing health & happiness to the world – starting with the Ohana gathered here.
Only eight years here in Puna so far, but here to stay, the love of Malama Aina has touched the core of his being, along with the Spirit of Aloha. 600 coconut trees deep, he prefers to spend his free time planting food forests for the future.