In 2006, 11 villages in East Java were engulfed by hot volcanic mud. It is believed that the mud eruption was caused by nearby gas mining, although the gas company and government deny this. The mud continues to flow and consume the villages and their inhabitants today.

Dadang Christanto's performance is both a memorial and a silent protest, where the audience (as participants) become the work, standing in silent vigil, in solidarity with the people of East Java whose lives have been so terribly affected by this disaster. It inspires a meditative experience of empathy.

I was deeply moved by the power of the work. I went into it thinking I'd experience feelings of sadness, grief and loss, but I was also struck by how angry I felt - about the environmetal wreckage and social injustices caused by our reliance on non-renewable resources, and unnecessary greed.

I was simultaneously thrilled to see just how powerful and informative an artwork can be - shedding light and really engaging my thoughts on a world event that otherwise may have gone under my radar. And a relevant one at that - with the current politics and unrest surrounding the coal seam gas issue here in Northern NSW.

SURVIVOR will be installed at the Lismore Regional Gallery until August 25th, and is really worth getting along to see - as remnants of the performance it has an incredibly haunting presence, in the absence of its participants. SURVIVOR is a travelling show - click here for more info on upcoming venues.

one last thing - ABC Open interviewed and documented my experience as a SURVIVOR volunteer - as part of their Day In The Life Project. >>>>