Croatia (Marcana, Pula, Zadar)
USA (Minneapolis)
1999-2006

Performance The Ritual of Mother Earth and Fertility'
Performed by: Branko Gulin, I. J. Pino Ivancic, Enzo Morovic

Humans have been defining their inseparable relationship with nature by worshiping Mother Earth as their supporter since prehistoric times. With the development of technology and an ever-increasing domination over natural forces man has, apparently, positioned himself as a master.
Nowadays we are all witnessing a rising consciousness about the fact that, by disturbing the ecological balance, mankind has not only endangered its own existence, but has also jeopardized life on Earth in general.
As a direct reaction to this plight, there's an increasing awareness amongst people that bespeaks the need for a reversal of the current state of affairs and calls for the protection of our environment, as well as for rationalization when it comes to consumption of natural resources.
The ecological movement developed itself with regard to the physical protection of the environment, but still lacks a spiritual direction.

The scope of this project is just one attempt to find a spiritual base in relation to Earth as our 'Mother Supporter'. This base can be found at the very beginning of the rise of mankind, at the roots of civilization. Rituals stand at the core of my examinations and, in this project, by reinterpreting the ritual of fertility worship (the basis of survival of the prehistoric man) I strive to discover links with the present. With a faithful reconstruction of the ritual; authentic setting (a cave), alongside a burning fire and making pottery figurines of women with explicit sexual characteristics, an atmosphere of dedication to the divine duty of creation is conjured up, presenting the universal power that renders life possible. In this case, the ritual takes place as an art performance in the context of the contemporary environment, with the intention of reminding us of the experiences of the prehistoric men, the experiences which are very actual today, since they represent a form of spiritual reference towards the planet Earth.

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