Among the artworks, part of the LUNAR program is the light installation Infinitum, created by Swedish artist Philip Jakobsson, part of the artistic duo FlipZurd. Less than two months after participating in the festival, the works will be transported to the beach at the mouth of the Kamchia River. There, the sculptures together with the stage he designed, they will propose a breathtaking atmosphere for visitors to the annual festival Ritual Gatherings.
The unique 5-day experience for July Morning (June 30 to July 3) will bring a lot of exciting emotions to all attendees, and now we meet with one of the co-founders of the event and curator of the music program Faris Abbas.
A true music lover from an early age, Faris grew up with the need to create and excite people through music. One of his feet is in the corporate world of the IT industry, and the other one – in that of art and music. He is person who never stops looking for inspiration and a better way forward. He is a man of seeking.
With everything we do, we aim to bring the audience into another dimension. The same goes for Philip’s Infinitum.
At first glance, it is a configuration of complex geometric objects made of wood, the core of which emits light, but that’s where the literal ends. Everyone’s interpretation may be different, but for us, there is a built-in sacred geometry and spirality of the universe. The framework in which infinite dimensions and temporal processes are constantly intertwined, and human consciousness finds it difficult to realize them. The installation is actually a small part of the overall scenography of the Ritual Gatherings festival on Kamchia Beach this year, and most of it will be unveiled on June 30 there.
This idea has been around for over 4 years, when we first met. From the moment we met, we realized that we speak the same language when it comes to art, and we were sure that we wanted to do something big with his support. It took us three years to get to this point. Now we can proudly say that in addition to the special installations that Philip is preparing for the festival, he is also designing our main stage, which will be built entirely of wood and will weigh over 3 tons. At the heart of the whole idea of scenography we have integrated our main cause – the protection of natural resources, trying to use mostly natural materials.
Art is around us to inspire us, to remind us that it is not the monotonous everyday life, but creation that is in the genesis of life. It is there to teach us, to provoke us ask questions, to change our perspective and way of thinking. The role of art is fundamental to man.
This year we will celebrate July Morning on Kamchia beach, right next to the river mouth. We have 3 days ahead of us on one of the heavenly corners of the Bulgarian Black Sea coast, which will be filled with a very carefully curated musical and artistic program.
Everything is integrated into the natural environment – the artistic program will be an exhibition of contemporary art, located entirely on the beach, with some of the most interesting contemporary Bulgarian names. Another unique thing we have been doing and developing for several years is the re-creation of traditional Bulgarian rituals through the prism of contemporary art. This year we have invited a Norwegian artist with extensive experience in this niche, which will work on three Bulgarian rituals, along with local artists from Troyan, Kyustendil and Shumen.
We want everything we do to become a unique experience for the audience – we do not look at others and are not guided by trends, but rather listen to our inner feelings and try to always create something new. Another such element that has become a trademark of the festival is the “Ritual Dinner”, which we open on June 30. We will announce more information about it soon, but I will only reveal its location, because it speaks lot – this year it will be located between the mouth of the Kamchia River, the sea and the typical white dune and will be a long table for 150 people. This is our special ritual.
Musically, we also decided to be bolder. Although we continue to adhere to the electronic style, we will gather on stage a mix of different and interesting artists from over 10 countries, both world-famous and promising young performers.
All of us who do something like this are crazy people – we go through a lot, with a single goal that underlies everything – to create and unite people around shared values. When faith and desire are present, nothing can stop you. Keep doing what you believe in, be consistent and persistent and more and more people will start believing in it. In short – try your best! 🙂
Ritual Gatherings is an annual interdisciplinary cultural festival, accompanied by a series of urban events that combines music, contemporary art, traditional rituals, culinary and practical environmental practices.
Ritual Gatherings 2022 will be a unique 5-day experience for July Morning, divided into two parts: a two-day forum in Varna with presentations and discussions aimed at people from the creative industries, followed by a three-day beach festival at the mouth of the Kamchia River: evening music program with live bands and popular names from the world and local electronic scene, exhibition of contemporary Bulgarian art on the beach, discussions, workshops for spiritual practices, sports activities and activities for children.
Ritual Gatherings Festival & Forum 2022 will run from June 30 to July 3. Follow www.ritualgatherings.com, Facebook page and Instagram profile of the project.
Tickets for Ritual Gatherings Festival & Forum 2022 are already on sale here.
Faris has been involved in music for 15 years, and 10 years ago, together with his partner Sandro Arabyan, they formed the duo The Foreigners. This project corresponds exclusively to the course of their lives, all the good and bad moments, every personal search. That’s why years ago they realized that their place is not every weekend in the clubs. The road has always led them and that is why to this day they create and develop their own festival, which brings the values and the musical line they like. It is connected with everything – from location, through scenography, to sunrise, when the time will come for the two to open their souls to every visitor who has come to welcome July Morning with them. They are uncompromising in exactly what they think the attitude towards music and beliefs should be.
A month before the pilot edition of LUNAR, Bulgarian artists were provoked to create their own light artworks, using the facade of the National Palace of Culture as their canvas. [...]
