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A couple hundred people turned out on a beach in Homer on a perfect autumn equinox evening at sundown to watch the burning of an interactive basket sculpture called "Surpass" by artist Mavis Muller on Sunday, September 21, 2008. Fran Durner photo.
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My last trip of the year to Homer this weekend was to watch the creation of a large basket made of local grasses, wood and fireweed on the beach near the base of the Spit. A week of building and decorating was followed by burning it on the evening of the autumn equinox. The fifth work of ephemeral art in Homer by basket artist Mavis Muller, the sculpture and community event has marked the seasonal turning point and a way of getting people together again as thoughts turn to winter.
Artist Mavis Muller walks away from her large basket sculpture, "Surpass," built on the beach in Homer with the interaction of the Homer community. Fran Durner photoThis year the basket was named "Surpass." Previous baskets were "Adieu," "Renew," "Reflect," and "Impart." Each is called a basket of rememberance and unburdening.
Flowers and written sentiments decorate the basket. Fran Durner photo.All week, the basket took shape with grasses woven around a frame of gathered wood. As the basket's form was finished, people turned to decorating it with the garden's last blooms. Daisies, calendula, monkshood, yarrow and delphinium formed a floral display around two windows into the basket. Yellow devil's club leaves were added around the base and dried dock flowers were woven in as well. Pinecone wreaths and garlands decorated the top.
Written prayers, wishes and sentiments were attached or thrown inside the basket windows shortly before the basket was burned on Sunday night.
Sentiments, prayers and wishes were attached to the grass basket before the burning ceremony on Sunday. Fran Durner photo.Writer Dawnell Smith described it last year, "Like Buddhist sand paintings, the creation and destruction of the basket will herald the beauty of impermanence and letting go. How do the people who spend days building the basket feel once they torch it? What sort of burdens do they leave with the ashes? What other art forms involve the creation and then destruction of an object as part of the process?" All good questions to ponder.
Visitors walk the labyrinth created on the beach in Homer as part of the burning basket event. Anyone could decorate a part of the labyrinth with bits of shell, seaweed, leaves, berries or whatever moved them. Fran Durner photo.Artist Muller also traced the outline of a labyrinth into the sand next to the basket and let people fill in the form with shells, beach pebbles, seaweed, leaves, berries and whatever else they wished to use in creating small works of art. Each work of art looked like a little shrine or station which people paused before as they walked the maze. The labyrinth will be there as long as it can withstand the whim of weather and humans, even when the basket is gone.
It's hard to let go - to the summer, to the light, to green things growing. To worries, to good friends and coworkers who are moving on. To the world as it changes around us.
As the basket finishes burning, a fire dancer performs around the burn circle on Sunday, September 21, 2008. A couple hundred people turned out on a perfect autumn equinox evening at sundown to watch the burning of the basket called "Surpass" by artist Mavis Muller. Fran Durner photo.But on Sunday night, as drums beat and the basket was lit, a collective whoop sounded up from the assembled crowd and the feelings of letting go and moving forward were met with emotions of catharsis and exuberance.
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