“In many ways Goddess is a symbol of ecological wisdom, and as we face a massive ecological crisis, this particular symbol becomes timely and important. When it comes to saving the planet, the return of the feminine is the most important thing happening.”
— Sue Monk Kidd
an immersive installation
As the first physical prototype of Onusa, we are currently working on creating a pop-up immersive installation on the theme of the Feminine and regeneration. Our hope is to launch the installation at Burning Man 2023: ANIMALIA.
The piece aims to explore the connection between feminine wisdom and Nature, and the importance of amplifying the Feminine to create regenerative and prosperous futures for all.
The installation invites us to experience Earth as a complex living ecosystem, full of aliveness and mystery. Through a journey across cycles, stories and ancient feminine wisdom, and the body of Gaia herself, the artwork asks us to reframe our relationship with the living world, and explore the concepts of inter-being, animism, reciprocity, kinship, ecological love, and responsible stewardship. A deep relationship with nature is not only vital for our spiritual health, but also “a vital base for any work we do to heal the Earth and transform the social and political systems that are assaulting her daily” (Starhawk).
The primary structure of the piece is a giant bust of Gaia, the primordial Goddess of Earth and ancestral mother of all Life. As a symbol, Gaia represents Earth as a complex living organism, motherhood, the ability to create life, renewal and rebirth. As the personification of the planet, she gives us a focal point, helping us to conceptualize our relationship with the Earth and nature.
Within anthropocentric modernity that has lost its connection to myths and magic, the goddess Gaia has come to symbolize a reverence for nature and environmental consciousness.
To ancient and present-day Earth-honoring cultures, the understanding of the Earth as a living, conscious being is a deep and central part of spirituality. Human and Earth Mother are both deeply honored and sacred: the feminine is revered as a great life-giving power able to conceive, give birth, and nurture children from their womb, similar to the miracle of the Earth Mother who gives birth to all creatures, nurtures the crops in the summer, gives life-sustaining rain, protects the crops during the winter, and brings them back to life again in spring.
The 4 micro-worlds surrounding the bust of Gaia represent 4 ecosystems and the animal, plant, and mythological beings that inhabit them, associated with the 4 elements: creatures of the field and forests represent the element of Earth, creatures of the desert and grasslands represent Fire, creatures of the oceans, rivers and lakes represent Water, and creatures of the skies represent Air. Each element invites us to connect with its qualities in our own internal realms: Earth connects us with our survival and instinct, our groundedness, sensuality and stability. Fire connects us with our creative life-force, energy and transformation. Water connects us with our emotional worlds and sensitivity. Air connects us with our movement and mental realm. Each micro-world invites us to explore our relationship with the element and ecosystem that it embodies.
Structure
Citizens of Black Rock City can enter the heart of Gaia, be replenished and nourished inside of her, climb inside of her hair, wandering through and being a part of her animal and plant realms. They can be immersed in story worlds, both audio and visual. In the midst of the vastness of the desert, Gaia appears to hold the citizens of Black Rock City in a warm and loving embrace.
By being a nourishing space for participants, the installation hopes to instill a loving nurturing quality in those who interact with it, that they carry forward into the playa and beyond.
This installation is being created with the intention of embodying the intention it stands for, by utilizing sustainably sourced and upcycled materials. Additionally, crystals and sacred objects will be woven into the installation by our community of healing artists.
As people explore the inside of the installation, its walls will serve as a museum of the Feminine, telling diverse stories of the ancient and primal relationship between Earth and Woman, and will invite visitors to embody and practice feminine ways of being, and connect with the power of feminine intelligence.
Within the structure of the scaffolding inside the installation, small rooms and environments will be created to serve as diverse spaces of exploration by female artists in our community, on the themes of the feminine and regeneration.
The installation will sometimes be activated by co-created live performances from our community of artists, poets and musicians, who can offer their nature-inspired pieces to inspire a more regenerative world that honors the Earth and all her beings.
Inspiration
We were inspired by theater set design and the traditional technique of layering painted elements to create depth, notably the work of pioneering film director George Méliès.
Image credits: George Méliès, Michael Garlington, The Beatles, Hugo film.
The Gaia Hypothesis, also known as the Gaia Theory, suggests that the entire surface of the Earth (including life) is part of a single self-regulating complex system. The theory was proposed by inventor and scientist James Lovelock, and co-developed by microbiologist Lynn Margulis, in the 1970s. Named after the primordial Greek goddess of the Earth, the Gaia theory counters beliefs that humans are separate from Earth, and have ownership and domination over it.
“The Earth is not a dead rock, she is Gaia, a living organism. Thus we do not measure the value of nature in terms of her usefulness to humans, rather we recognize the intrinsic value of nature as the source of life itself.”
— Satish Kumar
Empowering women is one of the most high-impact and cost-effective ways to solve climate change. Scientists, anthropologists and spiritual leaders have increasingly been looking to the past, through women’s spirituality and the power of the female perspective, to find new visions for the future.
Feminine intelligence is a “deep knowing that we are all part of a living universe, an innate sense of responsibility for the survival of human and planetary life. A conscious intention to heal. The concentration of love, energy and life-force, dedicated to someone or something that is of the greatest importance beyond self-interest.” (Karen Downes)
Feminine intelligence can allow us to be responsible guardians of humanity, the planet and all life. Human and planetary healing depends on each one of us—women, men and all people— to reclaim our ancient innate feminine wisdom, individually and collectively, and rise to shape a renewed world, in harmony with all of creation.
of Feminine InteLLigence
“Earth Mother, you who are called by a thousand names. May all remember we are cells in your body and dance together.”
— Starhawk
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Nour Tohme
LEAD ARTIST
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Roxanna Shohadaee
LEAD CREATIVE PRODUCER
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Serena Treppiedi
LEAD SET DESIGNER
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Charis Melina Brown
HEALING ARTIST
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Joel Atchison
CULTURAL WEAVER
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Alixa Garcia
POETIC & SOUNDSCAPE ARCHITECT
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Ari Lazer
LAZER WIZARD / FABRICATION + DESIGN LEAD
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Chelsea Bronson
‘LEAVE NO TRACE’ LEAD
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Blake Anderson
ADVISOR • BLACKSMITH & WELDER
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Brooke Daily
PRODUCTION CREATRIX
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Liz Jones
VOLUNTEER COORDINATOR
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Lexi Faith
EXPERIENCE DESIGNER
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Elana Novali (Lay-na)
BUILD CO-LEAD
We are in the process of building Mothership! You can support this project by staying connected, volunteering on our team, or spreading the word.
Onusa is an immersive museum that amplifies feminine ways of being and relating to ourselves, each other and the world, using immersive art and storytelling. In this world, you meet women from diverse histories, cultures and mythologies, and learn from them about feminine wisdom. Onusa is a space of tribute and reverence to the feminine, honoring women's legacy in the world.
Onusa is an immersive museum that amplifies feminine ways of being and relating to ourselves, each other and the world, using immersive art and storytelling. In this world, you meet women from diverse histories, cultures and mythologies, and learn from them about feminine wisdom. Onusa is a space of tribute and reverence to the feminine, honoring women's legacy in the world.
This project is lovingly nurtured by habRitual studio