NEW DIRECTION

⚪️🔴🟠🟡🟢🔵🟣⚫️ NEW DIRECTION Ed. No. 89 - THE VISION OF A BETTER WORLD

NOTHING MEDIOCRE ABOUT EUROVISION

The Vision of a Fair Nation & a Fair World

Background for a major Artwork in progress titled

"BENNELONG DREAMING (After Coburn)"

Artist: Neville Williams ©️Arts Law Australia

Base art inspired by John Coburn's Curtain of the Sun

originally hung in the Opera Theatre of the Sydney Opera House.

To read more about this artwork go to:-

NevilleWilliamsArt

What a privilege it was to be invited to Basel, Switzerland for the most recent Eurovision Song Contest. It was all a potpourri of colour/music/design/light and life. Such a feast of originality. Pleasure to be witness to something that had a completeness to it. In all a cross gender multicultural explosion of inclusiveness and just plain old fashion joy in life and living.

But what are the elements that make it so good?

We could start with the winner’s trophy that is of an old fashioned microphone.

A foundation in history always is solid ground.

We learn from our past or we don’t.

This trophy is a lovely piece of sand blasted solid glass that was accidentally broken by last year’s winner when in the excitement Nemo (they/them) plonked it on stage. Eh things can go wrong.

There’s always a risk element to great art.

Are you listening?

For most of it Eurovision does it very very right.

< PIC: Wikipedia

My roots as a graphic designer were given a tug every time each country’s performance was about to start. Across the entire video screen proscenium opening in mid air was proudly projected the country name in the animated flag colours of that nation. Also included was the title of their song, who it was being performed by and those responsible for creating it.

Superb use of graphics. Clear as a bell.

This is art.

But of course the Art of Eurovision extends beyond graphics or a unique trophy. From the beginning of the Final I noted each element as it came to me and here is what makes this event outstanding.

Purpose: Eurovision is about a celebration of music and a showcase of different cultures, while also promoting the participating countries.

No half measures or compromises: Well, no doubt there are compromises but there is a confidence and something self assuring about Eurovision that makes you feel alive.

Originality: Oodles and oodles of talent.

Inclusiveness: I mean everything from a counter-tenor opera singer to a leather clad mistress riding a phallic microphone singing about KOMMING! And we get to meet the contestants and learn a bit about them as people not only as performers behind masks.

Organisers couldn’t include all of the audience in the main auditorium which itself was an extension of the whole stage so 38,000 other celebrants were given digs in an adjacent stadium. There was even a Eurovision street parade through Basel. And not to forget the included television audience of hundreds of millions who get the opportunity to participate in selecting the winner. That’s inclusive.

Diversity: These performances were just so diverse in their creative expressions. A complete circular rainbow of diversity and cultures on show.

Technology that dazzles: All state of the Art. We had the most complicated thrust stage I’ve ever seen. A staging rig that included a complete spectrum of set pieces and props such as inflatable lips and free flowing “cork” sand. There were drones, fireworks, fire, lasers, lighting of every description, smoke. The entire stage flooring, backdrop, thrust and stand alone proscenium frame were facaded completely in video screens so you could be taken from a quiet intimate pastoral scene into the violence of an all emcompassing crashing sea storm in moments.

Costuming and sometimes split second changes to those costumes demonstrated imagination by the wardrobe full.

Divine choreography: And yes there was plenty of divine choreographic and aerobatic elements that extended far beyond what could be described as dance.

YouTube had an audience member’s private recording of the staging set up in progress for the winner’s performance. This revealed a small army was in attendance all focussed application as the jigsaw of elements came together. Magical. And then they were gone. Only remaining were the performer, a camera man and two props people holding aloft a paper boat on strings. The rawness of this reveal was in stark contrast to what we saw on our TV screens as the performance went into action. It was cinematic in its scope. I wondered how that frail paper boat floated into the performer “JJ’s” hand amidst that raging storm on stage. And this was all revealed in this private video. Astonishing choreography of elements.

The editing and camerawork alone for the whole production is a swirling symphony.

Gob smackingly seamless to the second.

A nail biting climax towards the winner:

The process of selecting the winner is like going on a roller coaster ride building to a finish where the winner isn't truly known until the last.

Positivity: There was also an air of positivity to the whole event. The Australian hosts Courtenay Act and Tony Armstrong were a delight. No cynicism which used to be part of the inhumane sport of past Eurovisions. No place here for the negative. Neither should there be. Courtenay described Eurovision as a “lighting spectacle” and Tony “brilliant staging”. Spot on.

This was Theatre at its best.

Eurovision made me proud to be an artist.

What we can achieve when we focus is transformative.

A future: Eurovision was set up to “unite Europe after World War II and promote shared continental identity through musical entertainment”. It could now be classed as a world uniter along with the Olympics/Expo movements and various sporting world cups. Perhaps we could do with more world events that bring us together to celebrate our positive humanity?

There’s plenty for us to sing about together.

So when are we going to get it together for the Asia/Pacific/Americas version of Eurovision Song Contest…. “NewWorldVision”? And do we need to restrict this to being a song contest alone anyway?

Appreciation: Small people make big things happen.

Thank you Basel. Thank you Switzerland. Thank yoo to all those who creatively contributed to this mega event.

And thank you Europe for having the vision of Eurovision and evolving it into what we see today…a clearly expressed broadly creative way forward towards a better world. - Neville ☺︎

FOOTNOTE: At Eurovision's heart is the heart.

And that's showcased centrestage in their logo...