by Robert Wilkinson
Today we celebrate the birthday of a truly unique artist and Spiritual force in our world, my dear friend Sally Jacques. Indescribably beautiful and affecting tens of thousands over decades of performances, her creations are the peak of blending of art, science, and precisely focused movement. These awe inspiring performances combine elegance and style to take us into timeless spaces. Today we have videos of her pieces offering some fairly breathtaking imagery.
For those who haven't had the privilege of getting to know her through past birthday celebrations, Sally is a remarkable woman of deep compassion, intensity, integrity, and devotion to all that is good, or could be good, in our world. I met her years ago when we joined with others to do some human rights and anti-war work, and we've been close ever since.
She is based in Austin, Texas, and for those of you lucky enough to be able to attend any of her works, you will find yourself transformed forever by some of the most memorable and graceful performance art one could ever behold. Given that she also has an extraordinary wit and wisdom, I am pleased to be able to call her my friend and Spiritual Sister.
Her performance company is called Blue Lapis Light, self described as "site specific aerial dance." The Austin Chronicle has written "Sally Jacques' work inspires a kind of wonder that connects us to the grandeur of creation." When you've witnessed multiple performers doing aerial ballet many feet above the ground, bathed in surrealistic lights, doing even more surreal movements perfectly coordinated in unique forms, you know you're in the presence of true artistic genius.
By all means, explore the videos available via the links on her front page. Here's a direct link to the multi-media library that houses the magnificent work of this equally magnificent artist and the Blue Lapis Light performing company. The names of these clips say it all: "Illumination," "Constellation," "Requiem," "Impermanence," "Angels in our Midst," "Whispers of Heaven," and "Where Nothing Falls II." Please check them out if you want to be transported out of the mundane world for a few transcendent minutes. These refresh the Soul.
The amazing thing about these performances is they are not done in usual venues, but instead on very improbable multi-story structures where her intention of creating beauty and peace through culture is imposed on buildings that house thought forms that are usually NOT "peace through culture." She brings the elegance of high art to spaces where there previously was none, and transforms dull shells of buildings into venues of timeless art and culture.
Happy Birthday, Sally. May your work inspire the world to imagine greater dreams of what is, and what could be. May your work continue to attract the attention, respect, and resources needed to spread this iconic beauty globally. Aum Namah Shivaya! Aum Namah Ammachi!
© Copyright 2012 Robert Wilkinson
Thank you for sharing this, Robert! Yes, Sally's choreography and company are amazing and out-of-this-world beautiful...leaving me feeling so lifted! What she is doing is a part of what is happening with 21st century art...wondrous things that could not be done, or perhaps not even imagined in the past. I can't wait to see how the arts continue to develop, pushed forward by artists like Sally.
Posted by: Sara | November 24, 2012 at 09:46 PM