Click here for part two in this series, which shows the artistic and conceptual devvelopment of a key scene from Electric Blue over a period of six months in 2005.
This scene from Electric Blue was inspired by the Irish/Scottish myth of the selke, sea creatures that shed their skins and dance for humans on the land. For IONA, the “skins” become vintage fur coats and the humans are men in stylized tuxedos -- with ropes.
This powerful dance was developed early in the Electric Blue development process by Cheryl Flaharty, and the photographs were taken on Waimanalo Beach, windward O'ahu, in June of 2005. The scene was performed several times in public by IONA as a preview, including beaches at sunset in Waikiki, Haleiwa, Waimanalo, Makua and Kailua.
Each member of the audience receives this work differently; each creates a unique meaning. Death and rebirth, bondage and passion, slavery and liberation -- eternal ideas come to life.
