The emerging artform of short poetry film merges the text of poetry with the sonic expression of music and sound, and the semiotics of cinema to create an immersive experience for the intellect and senses. This program is the collaboration of three artists: poet Ambrosia, composer Donna Hewitt and videographer John Montgomery.

We are thrilled to present this major program of our voetry work. It has been exciting to see some early recognition of our work in australian and international exhibitions and film festivals. We hope your experience of these works mirrors the joy we had bringing these works to life.

DONNA HEWITT / STÉPHANIE POULIQUIN / JOHN MONTGOMERY

Stéphanie Pouliquin is French-Australian teaching French language and culture at Alliance Française of Canberra since 2003. She has previously lived in Germany and Italy prior to moving to Australia in 2001. She studied the history of art and languages in Montpellier. She has a passionate interest in philosophy, literature, arts and how they are intrinsic to human experience. She chose poetry as her own artistic expression, inspired by nature, philosophy and Greek mythology.

John Montgomery is a playwright, actor, composer, performer, producer, video artist and educator. He has a particular interest in merging artforms through collaboration to discover and create innovative approaches to arts practice. Influences include Simon McBurney and Theatre de Complicite, Punch Drunk, Frantic Assembly and the Music of John Lennon. John regularly performs his verbatim musical theatre odyssey John’s Lennon Story. John is the Senior Curriculum Officer for the Creative Arts for the NSW Education Standards Authority and has over 30 years experience in Arts education.

Donna Hewitt is a performer, vocalist, electronic music composer and instrument designer. Microphone captured audio and voice are central to her practice, and she is interested in merging natural and electronic sound worlds. She has been exploring gesture mediated music performance and investigating new ways of interfacing the voice with electronic media. She is the inventor of the eMic, a sensor enhanced microphone stand for electronic music performance and also designs and performs with wearable controllers. Donna is an Associate Professor in Music at the University of New England. https://donnahewitt.net/

THE WORKS

DISCORDANCE - tells of the disharmony that prevails in our environment and in the delicate tapestry of our relationships. Art is our refuge, sheltering us from anguish and despair. Art and music emerge as beacons of solace offering respite, consolation and illumination for the journey that lies ahead.

AMBROSIA - examines the narrative of Apollo, the sun god who embodies structure, order and aesthetic splendour. The work explores the interplay between order and chaos, beauty and unbridled passion, inviting audiences to reflect upon the eternal struggle between control and liberation in the pursuit of a more exuberant existence.

AURORA - explores the dormant Dionysian essence within each of us. As night descends, it awakens our primal instincts, an irresistible force that takes hold of us, bringing forth both chaos and transformative new order. This work invites the audience to contemplate the innate power and potential of embracing our wild and untamed nature.

LES SIGNES DU TEMPS (SIGNS OF TIME) - Time and experience leave their mark. So too our faces express the unique stories of our lives. The natural order and the sacred beauty of the passage of time seen in the cracks, splits, crevices, river beds, gorges and tears of our beautiful and dramatic landscapes are echoed in the landscapes of our faces as we live, love, laugh and cry.

DANS LA MAISON (IN THE HOUSE) - reflects on our experience during a global lockdown and the distress caused by the deprivation of freedom with its isolation from others and nature. The confinement of Covid-19 as a psychological pandemic, as much as a medical one, challenged our resilience and fundamental human need for connection.

SENTIENT - is a work by Donna Hewitt that has been created using predominantly AI generated images. This work explores a machine attaining sentience and is expressed from the machine’s perspective and emerging personna. What happens when a machine becomes sentient, exhibiting self-awareness, perceiving sensations and conveying and comprehending emotions akin to humans? We are prompted to contemplate the ethical implications of engineering a sentient machine whose core purpose is to serve humanity.

NUIT (NIGHT)- tells us of the sacred time of night, the time of sleep and dreams. The night goddess Nyx beckons us away, into her benevolent presence. She liberates and renews our heart, soul and mind, refreshing our very essence.