Metamorphosis: A temple for change

Metamorphosis is a temple of transformation being built for the AfrikaBurn 2015 event in South Africa. It is, however, much more than just an art project – it is a social project for change, with a vision to facilitate mass metamorphosis at the Burn, within ourselves and within our home communities.

The temple will be built for and burnt at the AfrikaBurn festival but the journey of metamorphosis will live on through all those involved in making the art piece a reality and all those that revelled in it. Personal journies of transformation will be shared with others, helping to teach and inspire through our website. You are invited to contribute your story, which will be printed and incorporated into the structure, your words released in flames into the African night sky. 

The idea is to encourage change for the better. To this end we are upskilling four artists / builders/ sculptors from the Thusong youth centre in Alexandra township in Johannesburg. They are involved in the building of Metamorphosis – the perfect opportunity to learn to work with carpentry tools and metal from some experienced builders. They are accompanying the Metamorphosis team into the desert and will be seeing the project through to completion. 

Metamorphosis will live beyond the Burn itself. We are inspiring practical and real transformation in our home communities, where we have the power to make a difference. To start this process we are revamping a place of safety for women rescued from prostitution and human trafficking.

AFRIKABURN & THE TEMPLE

AfrikaBurn is the regional Burning Man festival in South Africa, held at the end of April. Participants gather annually in the Tankwa Karoo to create a spectacular city of art, theme camps, costume, music and performance. Every year a temple is built at AfrikaBurn; this is intended to be a sacred space for meditation, a place where participants can honour, celebrate and mourn those that have journeyed on. It is a place for ceremonies of commitment, farewell and friendship and to celebrate all that is wonderful in this life. The temple burns at the end of the festival, providing a catharsis for participants to burn all that no longer serves them, to let go. Our intention is that Metamorphosis will be the most powerful temple space South African Burners have ever experienced.

The temple is made of eight butterfly wings and will stand at eight meters high, spanning 20 meters in diameter. In numerology, eight signifies both building and destruction. Temples are places to do just that – places where we can destroy unhealthy patterns and build new ones. The wings symbolise freedom, flight, and metamorphosis. The wings are supported by four gateways, facing the cardinal points, which bear symbols of the four elements: wind, water, fire and air. From the center, a cut crystal chandelier will hang from a flower of life, casting prism rainbows around the space.

In addition to the temple being a quiet place for personal reflection, we are calling on artists, musicians, dancers and facilitators to use the space for conscious activity during the course of AfrikaBurn. We envision morning meditations, musical gatherings, weddings and other conscious ceremonies being held here.

The Metamorphosis project is being headed up by Verity Maud who has been involved with AfrikaBurn since it began. She runs an interior design business and works in the personal transformation arena by facilitating creativity workshops called The Artery, which encourage and enable people to connect deeply to their own creative life force.

PERSONAL TRANSFORMATION

Our vision is that all who are involved in the project will have a positive personal transformation. Choose a metamorphosis you want to see in your life and join us in a daily practice of meditation in the lead-up to the Burn. Journal too - it's a powerful tool. Our vision is that many people experience a personal metamorphosis through being involved in the project, touching lives not only in the desert, but internationally too. We want to hear your personal stories of transformation - share your story on our website when you are ready.

COMMUNITY UPLIFTMENT

Our vision is to offer skills development to those in need of work and training by getting them involved with the building of Metamorphosis. Here they can learning to work with carpentry tools and metal, but also the tools to create their dreams.

The vision is to empower underprivileged people, bolstering their self esteem, their connection to life and their belief that they are important enough to dream big. 

We want to make the movement for change beyond the microcosm of the Burn. We want to make a difference in our home communities. To start this process we are revamping the Home of Hope in Hillbrow, Johannesburg which rescues women from prostitution and human trafficking. All our leftover funds will be going towards giving these women a comfortable and safe environment.