The work was developed within <\/span>The Big Green<\/span><\/i> residency SOIL, where five artists from Latvia, Portugal, Poland, Italy and the Netherlands explore the relationship between humans and the environment through the lens of local ecosystems. Together with video artist Katr\u012bna Neiburga, composer Ernests Valts Circenis and set designer Inga Bermaka, Melnalksnis turned his attention to Lake Ummis and its delicate inhabitant \u2014 Lobelia dortmanna, a fragile aquatic flower listed in Latvia\u2019s Red Book. This encounter became the starting point for a poetic study of nature\u2019s autonomy, the psychology of the human mind, and the tensions created by civilization.<\/span><\/p>\n During the creative process, the artists collaborated with nature expert Uvis Su\u0161ko and hydrobiologist Marta Dievi\u0146a, who shared their insights into the lake\u2019s ecosystem, plant and biotope protection, as well as the historical and political contexts of the site. Together with the scientists, the creative team visited the lake, observing its environment and seeking ways to translate this fragile landscape into a theatrical experience.<\/span><\/p>\n The experimental music theatre performance <\/span>Ummis and Lobelia<\/span><\/i>\u00a0is a poetic dedication to the unequal opposition between the autonomy of nature and the pressure of civilization. It reveals the interplay between human consciousness and natural processes \u2014 the threshold moments that invite us to look deep into our own awareness \u2014 and the hope that, like the lobelia flower, occasionally emerges and rises above the dark.<\/span><\/p>\n To preserve the fragile ecosystem of Lake Ummis, the swimming scenes were filmed at Bolder\u0101ja quarry instead of the actual lake. The scenography makes use of reusable materials, and after the performance, most of the costumes and set elements are returned to their owners or to nature itself.<\/span><\/p>\n Watch the full performance recording \u2013<\/span><\/p>\n
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