A SCULPTURE park in Melbourne is taking guided meditation to new heights - quite literally - using aerial drone footage of its outdoor artworks in a series of online wellbeing videos.
In the videos, viewers fly above key sculptures at McClelland Sculpture Park and Gallery in Langwarrin, in the city's south-east, for a bird's eye view while a voice leads them through free guided mediation exercises.
The videos are part of the park's Inspired Minds: Art and Wellbeing Series.
McClelland director, Lisa Byrne, said the series draws inspiration from the park's unique setting of art in a bushland environment and was developed in response to growing concerns about the mental health impacts of COVID-19 pandemic.
"We believe the combination of art, environment and meditation can provide a positive relief and inspiration for our community," she said.
"We want to inspire audiences and help them to - quite literally - take some height with aerial drone views of key sculptures accompanied by the guided meditation - presenting a discovery of the park through another angle, and possibly a discovery of themselves."
McClelland Sculpture Park's education and program manager, Marie Allaman, said the idea came about after a brainstorming session. "We were thinking of people in our communities and and wanted to give some help to people during this pandemic. We thought, 'How can we turn something dire into a positive experience?'"
The first programs in the six-part Inspired Minds series are On Connection - a sculptural meditation which draws inspiration from the Tree of Life by Phil Price.
On Impermanence draws inspiration from Rex Australis - The King is dead, long live the King by Dean Colls.
The series was produced in partnership with mental health experts from The Mind Room. The Mind Room co-founder, psychologist Jo Mitchell, said the Inspired Mind series helps bring the viewer to the sculptures and the sculptures to the viewer.
"This is an immersive experience that taps into the senses and helps the viewer explore their relationship with the sculptures, the environment and themselves.
"Particular aspects of the art works are highlighted as are themes of perspective, playfulness, connection and impermanence. The viewer is encouraged to go wherever the work takes them on a immersive sculptural journey.
"When we experience challenging times in our lives or are looking to grow and change, many of us turn to art and creativity to help guide us," she said.
McClelland has been closed to visitors because of the COVID-19 pandemic since mid-March.
Click HERE to access the videos or visit mcclellandgallery.com
Geraldine Cardozo
Features Editor at The Senior.
Features Editor at The Senior.
