Presented by: Sacred Resonance
Reviewed: 13 February 2016
From the moment we’re born, we take in the visuals around us. What we see influences our emotions with the visions confronted affecting our daily life. Beginning with pictured story-books, children’s TV shows, and toys, our visual imagination takes us on a journey. Agartha – A Subterranean Installation tries to project some of the dazzling imagery our minds haven’t before witnessed. Wanting their audience to ‘discover augmented realities, sense-reactive spaces and visionary art’ according to its publicity, this production tries to provide that. Combined with some mystical sounds in the auspicious surrounds of the underground tunnels beneath the Adelaide Treasury building, Agartha – A Subterranean Installation attempts to deliver.
Set up by Darren Curtis and Bradley Pitt (no, not the actor), the project tries to mix music and visuals in an interesting way. Separately it works reasonably well but together it fails. The first section features a series of paintings delving into the spiritual beliefs of various cultures. This conjures interest in how each culture sees the world. The art-works are well crafted with each showing the subject’s individuality and religious mind-set. The second section looks at how the vibrations of colour and sound can affect a viewer’s thought patterns. This is also interesting although as this 20 minute presentation grinds on the message it tries to convey soon dissipates. The music used in this section was well handled, giving an appropriately ethereal air to proceedings.
Although the presenters tried to claim to offer a new experience, Agartha – A Subterranean Installation feels like a re-hash of decades-old ideals. It’s as if a group of students found some old mystical books from the 1970’s and decided to re-heat some of their musings. Their relation to current society wasn’t well articulated with the show never connecting as it should. The audience at the opening night seemed to agree as mass-walkouts during the second act showed. The whole event never really went anywhere with its meaning becoming lost in a sea of antiquity. The hosts of the performance were charming although even they couldn’t rustle up much enthusiasm from a generally confused and bored audience.
The setting proved to be the evening’s major highlight as the Treasury building tunnels created the right atmosphere. The displays were well thought out within its confines even if their execution was less than brilliant. Agartha – A Subterranean Installation needed more work in order to effectively express its meaning. Further refinement of its themes perhaps may make for a better show than the lacklustre presentation currently seen.
Rating out of 5: 1.5
Reviewed by: Patrick Moore
Twitter: @PatrickMoore14
Venue: Adina Apartment Hotel Adelaide Treasury
Season: 13 – 21 February 2016
Duration: 90 mins.
Tickets: All tickets – $21, Artist Pass Discount – $18, Child – $16, Companion card and Concession – $19, Family – $57, Group – $6+ – $19.
Bookings: Book online through the Adelaide Fringe website or phone Fringe HQ on 1300 621 255
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