Earthrise
English National Opera's Youth Company thought about what the Earth looks like in lockdown: is the pandemic visible from afar, and what is still uniting us all?
Earthrise Inspiration Photo (2020-09-11) by WilliamArts Council England
Taking inspiration from the Earthrise photo from the Apollo 8 mission in 1968, the ENO Youth Company imagined looking at our planet in 2020 from afar. Visualizing the Earth from space, the group of young people zoomed in and out. As they did this, they wrote about what they saw and how they felt.
They documented these thoughts in a Haiku - a type of Japanese poem consisting of three short lines.
From this, they then created a Haiga - a simple drawing or calligraphy which accompanies a Haiku.
They then explored how, with material found at home, they could create their very own visions of the universe and of our Earth.
Here are their Haiku, Haiga and other-worldly creations.
Photo by Nahiyan (2020-09-11) by NahiyanArts Council England
Our world is hopeful,
Significant to see,
It's small but worth it
Shanice
Photo by Louis (2020-09-11) by LouisArts Council England
I cry and scream and,
Beg for help, or wish its a dream,
But no one will help
Because in the pools, of ink;
Where astronauts sink,
No one hears you scream
If a hand reached out
And closed a fist over earth,
Would they crush us all?
Xavier
Photo by Tyler (2020-09-11) by TylerArts Council England
We are lead through war,
Though the war provides no win,
True nature was found
Jean-Luc
Haiga by Louis (2020-09-11) by LouisArts Council England
On my own I frown,
Looking down from up above,
Space fits like a glove
Anastasia
Haiga by Anna (2020-09-11) by AnnaArts Council England
It will change, it will
It's the only way forward
Let's stand together
Bathseba
Haiga by Maya (2020-09-11) by MayaArts Council England
Haiga by Maya
Earthrise (2020-09-11) by ENO Youth CompanyArts Council England
Earthrise
English National Opera Youth Company
The ENO Youth Company is a group of 20 young people aged 13-18 who have
worked together as a company over the course of the year, with structured sessions in the school holidays led by professional artists from a variety of different disciplines. Throughout the series of workshops, the young people are supported to express their ideas, develop their skills and hone their understanding and practice of the creative process.
The Youth Company’s year-long programme usually culminates in the summer with a
public performance. Given this year’s unusual circumstances, the Youth Company
met over a series of six online sessions during the summer. Together with a
composer, a writer & director, and a designer, they devised and created Earthrise.
ENO Youth Company:
Afiya, Ameerah, Amy, Anastasia, Anna, Bathseba, Elaina, Freya, Hana, Jean –Luc, Jude, Kaspars, Louis, Lulu, Maya, Nahiyan, Namih, Shanice, Tyler, Xavier.
Composer John Barber
Writer, Director Hazel Gould
Designer Rhiannon Newman Brown
ENO Baylis Producer Tanja Pagnuco
