ECHOES OF US

A performance of connection, co-creation, and human presence, this piece unfolds as a living canvas of sound, movement, and paint. An interplay of artistic expression, while the audience is invited to witness, engage, and, ultimately, become part of the unfolding Experience.

At the heart of the space, a large sheet of paper stretches across the floor, linking the painters and musicians. The audience stands on either side, not as passive observers, but as silent participants in a shared ritual of creation.

In the center, dressed in white, stands a person surrounded by bowls of paint – an open, presence, meeting each gaze with stillness, love, and non-judgment, allowing whatever arises in the moment to be expressed by the participants either on the clothes or the canvas on the floor.

As the music begins, movement and color take form. The participants on the floor respond instinctively to the sounds, their brushstrokes becoming the visual echoes of the melodies.

The boundaries between artist and audience dissolve as individuals step forward, compelled by an unspoken invitation. Some weep. Some pray. Some reach out – not just to paint, but to connect. In these moments, the performance becomes something greater than an artwork; it becomes a shared act of creation, connection, and presence.

The canvas becomes a vast tapestry of collective expression, layered with emotions, gestures, and the need to communicate something beyond words. Even after the formal performance ends, the audience is invited to continue painting, until every feeling has found its place on the canvas.

This work is about openness—about meeting others with love, about breaking the distance between observer and creator, about art as a vessel for deep, human connection. It is not a performance in the traditional sense, but a space where a shared act of creation can emerge and make every participant equal in the organic, evolving nature of art.

Output related to the activity

1 contemporary art product developed

The theme of the new cultural product will be an important common value for the two cultures


6

artists involved in experience exchanges

1

press kit for the contemporary art product

210

spectators at the presentation events

20000

people informed about the project activities

Project description

Echoes – Bridging Cultures through Contemporary Art Exchange

Creating art together with new people is not just fun and challenging, but also a deeply inclusive experience. This project, which aims to bridge visual art and music in Norway and Romania, invites six artists from diverse disciplines and cultures to come together and create a unique cultural product. It’s a celebration of inclusivity and collaboration.

Elaborate is joining up with project partner Mioritics Association from Romania to make this happen. The EEA and Norway grants fund the project.

Between October 2024 and February 2025, 3 young artists from Romania (music and graphic art) will travel to Norway for 7 days (2 for travel and 5 for actual work) to exchange experiences with similar artists from Norway. Similarly, three experienced artists from Norway will travel to Romania for 7 days for a similar experience exchange.

Throughout the project (before, between and after the experience exchanges), there will be continuous online communication between these six artists to prepare a concept for a new contemporary art product that will combine all 2 components (music and graphic art). This new product will be developed and presented in two stages, respectively, at the end of each exchange of experience in public locations that the project partners will identify according to the profile of the new contemporary art product (e.g., halls shows, museums, clubs, etc.). We estimate a minimum of 200 people will attend the live events, and over 17,000 people will learn about the final project and development stages through social media channels and press releases.

The new product, designed to be available even after the project concludes, holds the potential to inspire and engage audiences worldwide. Whether in its full form, or in reduced and more flexible forms, the product, along with its promotion kit, promises to leave a lasting impact. All components of this kit, including a short film, poster, descriptions, and 8-10 photos, will be crafted by the artists involved, in collaboration with the project management team.