Last Sunday I went to the (B)old Festival at Queen Elizabeth Hall, Southbank Centre in London.
It was a beautiful sunny day, lots of people along the river enjoying the sun. When I saw it I didn’t expect anybody to come and stay indoors with me at the market making dolls under an artificial light. I thought I would have four hours to make dolls on my own really.
There were music and dance activities at the foyer where the market was, I guess these activities attracted people to enter and look around, they found me and actually I didn’t stay for a second on my own. Steph, Rosa, Sheila, Wonchul Jung, Wei, Jared, David, Hyangmi Won, Erin and Yaanjo came and we made 11 dolls together.
We talked about many things including how much the weather influences a culture in so many levels, one of us studied geography, we are people determined by how much sun we get. Well, in my experience as a tropical woman, it feels like here is another planet, the more I adapt the more I feel the differences, at the same time, I see how much we are absolutely the same. I feel we are determined by how much sun light we have inside, how much conscious we are, the sun can shine inside us anywhere.
Helen, the coordinator of the festival, was lovely, I felt very much looked after, it was amazing!
Some comments
‘Spreading love and a sense of united humanity, also a fun experience.’
‘A lovely experience, such wonderful idea and a way of bringing people together, so positive, a way of helping others. Brilliant mindfulness exercise.’
‘After I finished making the doll, I felt that the heart of the doll started to run while I was meditating. My doll is no longer a doll. It’s a very touching experience.’
‘Paying attention to your hands, heart, breathing and mind all together at the same time. I enjoyed it.’
‘It was a very peaceful experience. The making process takes long time but I enjoyed it. I hope that the sound of my heart is in the heart of the doll.’
‘I liked stuffing and sewing the doll and meditating.’
‘It was a great unexpected pleasure to make a doll. Every moment was very relaxing and enjoyable, thank you.’
Many thanks for everybody who organized the festival, for everybody who came to the workshop, for the hope I always feel when I am with people making dolls, for all the conversations and for this project which is the most inspiring school in my life, thank you!
