WHAT IS MEANINGFUL SOLES ?

'Meaningful Soles' is a youth spirituality and creative arts project in two parts inspired by UK artist Paul Hobbs 'Holy Ground' and bringing the idea to Australia!!

PART ONE
What I would like to do is broaden the project and invite people known and unknown to contribute their shoes and their story to what will become an art installation styled space with lighting, instructions, music, shoes and stories on A4 sheets for people to move amongst, reflect on and engage with.
This reinforces my own belief that every person has a story and every story is worth hearing!!
With young people it's about inviting them to reflect on the life and spirituality of others and to help them make sense of a wide variety of experiences and stories.
Participants will be from a broad spectrum of spirituality and values, the installation will not be overtly Christian only and no shoes will end up on EBay!!

PART TWO
Alongside Part One I will also be running worship, reflection and camping based experiences of people bringing/taking off their own shoes and writing and sharing their own stories in a similar space!
This will be an evolving experiment and photos and stories of any 'Soles' activity and developments will be shared here!!



Monday, August 31, 2009

2010 Round of Invitations

With Rowe's help we have just issued a renewed round of invitations for people 'with a story' and some who are 'in the public eye' to contribute a pair of shoes [on loan or permanently] and hopefully an A4 page or so sharing their story through the shoes and a sense of their values, beliefs or what's important or motivating for them!!
As before the plan is to collect shoes and stories and shape an art installation type space where people can wander, take in the stories and have the deeply personal object of the shoes as part of that reflection.
My hope is to engage young people in thinking and experiencing the decisions and values of people who have something to say and share. My hope is they will be encouraged to make choices not just let things happen, to think about what's important not just immediate and to make changes in their lives. Just a small goal!!
There do seem to be three points of difficulty:
  • shoes are an intensely personal contribution unless like many sports people you are used to donating or giving them away
  • people seem to struggle about 'the church' or faith aspect when I try to be clear it's about all perspectives
  • Maybe there's a nervousness about writing something or indeed publicly committing to it

Anyhow, we try again and hopefully will soon have a list of successful negotiations... I already have my most disappointing repeat decline but at least a chance to call and chat about it!!