Plethu/Weave: Alex Wharton & Krystal Lowe

Earlier this month, Literature Wales and NDCWales released Good Things To Come, the latest film in the Plethu/Weave series, by poet Alex Wharton and dance artist Krystal Lowe.

Krystal wrote a series of blogs about the process of creating Good Things To Come. They’re a brilliant insight into how collaboration works and we highly recommend you read them.

Here are some excerpts:

The really beautiful thing about this commission is that while there are specific themes – care for the environment, nature, and sustainability -there is so much space to explore how those themes will be explored and presented through our collaboratively created film.

I was able to get a draft and voice recording of the poem from Alex. It was incredible to hear how he brought it all together and it really inspired my vision for the film’s overall atmosphere.

He writes with a clear respect and heart for nature which comes through the ever-present themes of care for nature throughout his work.

I love literature and I love dance – to weave these two together is a joy and privilege I will never have the words to convey.

For me, when I think of creating a piece, I first consider what I’ll wear and how that will influence my movement and how I interact with the space around me.

The creation process with Emma-Jane is always exciting, explorative, and collaborative…

We’re exploring natural fabric dye, upcycling clothing, and ways of allowing this costume to mimic nature with very textured designs and materials.

I hope this film fills you with an overwhelming urge to find those greens spaces near you and to dance in them – to dance with them.

Nature calls us to be – to move.

The sway of bare branches; the swoop of small birds; the taps of running paws;

It’s the call of the quiet streams and unseen winds –

It’s life itself

Breathing in and out of every moss-covered tree and winding vine.

Nature calls us to move.