last year - 2022

It went gently. It was very comfortable and soft. J wasn't in the space as usual as he had a lot of work to do, T was with me for a lot of the time and no one else came. There were no knotty times of thinking too much about what to "do". 

I listened to the sound and the birds outside for 6 hours and think only once did my mind wander very briefly. T thought my movement was more fluid than he had seen. There was a little "play" with him as he walked around the space on a couple of occasions. 

During one on my own time I found myself moving in a very ballet way - lots of arm and sternum - that rather a Qigong way, it is a feeling that comes when doing some ballet but perhaps more people might understand the Qigong similarity!

Contentment was a feeling that came to me afterwards, and had a really good night's sleep. So a fulfilling, regenerative time. I've often thought I might find it difficult being on my own for a lot of the time and not being disciplined enough or something, but it wasn't the case. Perhaps not having done it since 2019 it was useful to not have other people. 

untitled holy hiatus 14 ~ 22.05.2022

 This year year will be by invitation so not open to the public. 

Last year UHH 13 was recorded - and only Jake was there. I was there for a little while - outside of an open window.

Here are some of the images taken by Jake last year.

If you have not received an invite and you have been a regular participant and you use Facebook you can send a message via the Untitled Holy Hiatus page. If you know my email then contact me that way.

22:02:2021 untitled holy hiatus 13

 Jacob will be listening to the space for us this year

in the absence

There is a private group set up on Facebook to share thoughts, experiences, memories of Untitled Holy Hiatus. If you have participated and would like to share something please do request to join the group link: Untitled Holy Hiatus Group

Thank you everyone who has participated in and supported this event - hopefully we will gather again in 2021

................................

the morning of May 22nd 2020:
It's so physical, so embodied. I feel the focusing in, the list in my head of the things to do/remember; the feel of those things, their volume, texture - chairs, table, blanket, glass for water ...

May 22nd 2020 Untilted HH in the time of a virus

As far as I can tell Untitled Holy Hiatus will not happen this year - certainly not as a public event on May 22nd. I am pondering the possibility if Small World is able to accommodate holding it on either the day in July with same day length, or the day with the same sunset time.
Or maybe mark it somehow on the day - perhaps online sharing every hour...

thoughts on the morning of May 22nd 2019

It's interesting to see how the performative nature has changed since the first time: it has unfolded into a ritual, a participatory event. No longer are there 2 performers exploring*, but, perhaps, a community created for those 6 hours. And the song, with nothing new added since 2012*, has embedded into the sound of the space.

Then thinking of the different ways of moving for me - the phrase of movement and the following my body: the phrase is performative, it is like a spoken prayer, a song sung. Although it is set it changes and different parts become emphasised, year by year or hour by hour.

Lou’s* last live vocals were in 2012 as she was unable to be there in 2013 as she had recently given birth. And 2014 was her last UHH: she was unable to sing, but her listening and presence were as strong as ever. She spent the last hour or so downstairs with me. At the end we knew we’d done it – we’ve achieved the thing we sought. By then people were coming to meditate or pray, to just be in the space, not to watch.

In 2015 I invited people who used movement as prayer or contemplation to move in the space. Regardless of whether they respond to me in any way, it supports me and has enabled me to continue. I noticed that many of those who were there in stillness had bare feet and were lying down! In 2015 I found myself moving with two people, and last year there was playful interaction with one of those movers – at a moment that I could have crumpled, a moment where I wondered if I could move at all.

After 2 years of UHH Lou and I agreed on a name for what we were doing: an act of devotion.

when we were two

untitled holy hiatus 12

May 22 Mai 2019
4pm – 10.15pm
Maura Hazelden & Jacob Whittaker

Small World Theatre | Theatr Byd Bychan
Bath House Road | Heol Clôs y Bath,

Cardigan | Aberteifi, SA43 IJY

This six-hour, performative event explores how liminal space is created, experienced and shared, using repetitions of a phrase of movement and a 13th century song developed by Lou Laurens. Untitled 12 will use 11 years of layered recordings giving a unique soundscape. Come to observe, to be present within the space created. Use the space for mediation, prayer, contemplation. People who use movement as contemplation or prayer may wish to move rather than sit.

We are tentatively continuing as we have done: Lou’s experiment with sound and space continues. There are distortions, curious new sounds and feedback, but being in the space and listening fully – to the space and to the self - the strangeness does not shock.

Mae’r digwyddiad perfformiadol chwe awr o hyd hwn yn darganfod sut mae gofod trothwyol yn cael ei greu, ei brofi a’i rannu, trwy ail-adrodd cymal o symudiad a chân o’r 13eg ganrif, a ddyfeisiwyd gan Lou Laurens. Bydd di-deitl 12 yn defnyddio 11 mlynedd o haenau o recordiadau i greu sainlun unigryw. Dewch i wylio, i fod yn bresennol yn y gofod sy’n cael ei greu. Defnyddiwch y gofod ar gyfer meddwl, gweddïo, myfyrio. Efallai bydd pobl sy’n defnyddio symud fel ffordd o fyfyrio neu weddïo yn dymuno symud yn hytrach nag eistedd.

Ry’n ni’n bwrw ‘mlaen yn betrusgar, fel ag erioed: mae arbrawf Lou gyda sain a gofod yn parhau. Mae yna ystumiadau, seiniau newydd rhyfedd ac ôl-dafliad sain, ond wrth fod yn y gofod a gwrando’n astud – ar y gofod a’r hunan – ‘does dim sioc yn y dieithrwch.

Entry by donation | Mynediad trwy rodd

LINK to further notes to explain the event and your participation

small world theatre | theatr byd bychan