In October 2013, fellow friend, Peformance Artist Nathalie Anguezomo Mba Bikoro and Semiotican/Poet, Chris Arning and I collaborated on curating and contributing work to a Memorial Exhibtion and Performance ritual evening held for our friends at Asylum in Peckham, a beautiful old chapel.
In February 2013, the Artists Zsi Chimera, one of my dearest friends and her partner Joe Bampton died along with 17 others in Luxor in a hot air balloon accident. They were both Artists. This was also open to those who had not met the artists to share their creative spark with others.
Through crowd funding we held this special evening and exhibition for a few days in honour of our friends, to say goodbye in our own unique way. We wanted to hold a memorial for those of us who could not make their funerals and do something for them both as a couple that we felt would be in keeping with their spirit.
It was an open invitation to any friends or family of the couple to create art works (some especially for the evening) who were touched by their short and beautiful lives. To come together through art, ritual, performance and contemplation to unite.
On the Memorial evening
Click on picture below to see film stills from the Stupa Ceremony led by Chris and Martina and the wild performance by Raf…
A stupa for Zsi & Joe. Sculpture, Collaboration Martina Ziewe & Chris Arning
Close friends gathering and sharing stories and laughter
Sitting with the stupa in contemplation
Spending day together watching video art work contributions
Performance Artist Raf West wearing his head piece the day after his performance, synchronised naturally with the stupa in one of Zsi’s favourite colours.
Into that darkness my beautiful doves - Looking through the peep hole, a visitor looks into a private world, created by Larraine Bampton, Joe’s aunt, inpsired by his works.
Chris Arning
Playing with Raf's creation in passionate red
Alex Chase White
Four Deer (Lil Pete, Zsi, Chris, Martina) - Martina Ziewe
The Brick Moon - Nathalie Anguezomo Mba Bikoro
Pete Vere Simmons
Hannah Terry
Zsi Postcards in half, placed together, (found in Zsi’s sketchbooks) - Martina Ziewe
Death of a Soul Cat (ink, felt tip, biro, fine liner, acrylic on paper collage, on canvas) - Martina Ziewe
Work in conversation one with another
Nathalie & Martina
Soul Cat Sisters
My friend, Rich Wright using the lathe to create the peak of the stupa in Wales, one of the most important parts.
Zsi Chimera with Silent Orchestra
Leaving Samsara
Horizon’s tightropedancer
Onus partem
Predicatable belonging
Indigoblue going back to sea
Joe and Zsi (far right) with Hannah Terry and Joe’s friend all beaming in joyful creative spirit and comradship at my private view in 2010.
The only photo I took of Zsi on my camera. I took one of her infront of her art work at her exhibition using her camera on our last meeting in December 2012 but it remains a mystery to me as I have never seen that photo. She was humble and coy about having her photo taken but I insisted that day.
Zsi my sweet sweet friend, you reignited the flaming passionate creative fire in my heart the day you died. Through both your life and through your dramatic and transformative death I have been touched by the fire. I am forever grateful to have been your friend, dear ally. You are a part of me now, as are all those I love. In my daily living experience, now, I am a true artist. I understand that deeply more so through the early goodbye of your physical presence in this world. It was a joy to know you and walk with you. You woke me up again once you left this earth. Thank you for always asking if I was making art, for encouraging me and giving me that look to say ‘why not?’
Thanks for discussing matters of being alive through art, all things cultural, Jungian and our quirky philisophical discussions. Our last conversation you spoke of alchemy. I didn’t talk much. I listened. Deep down I knew I would not see you for a very long time when we hugged goodbye.
My friend in this life for 10 years. What a time together. Thank you Sweet Cat.
The print Zsi gave me (of hers) along with the little items she invited me to choose from in a small cabinet of drawers that had little trinkets in she had collected. I have since made these into a necklace. I wrote out a text she sent me when she was on an Art exchange in Kassel, Germany, after I had given her a turquiose heart shaped necklace.
Zsi Chimera, Born Hungary, 1978-2013, Died Egypt. Artist. Warrior Spirit.
