The western Canadian tour of a cinematic concert by a Roberts Creek musician and artist will culminate on the Sunshine Coast next month.
Multimedia artist Simon Haiduk plans to present Metta Grove, an experiential performance with roots in guided meditation, psychedelic sensations, and community connections at the Roberts Creek Community Hall on December 16.
“It’s not something people experience often,” said Haiduk. “It’s been a journey to try and figure out how to advertise and promote it, as such a thing like that’s pretty unique.”
The show features animated versions of Haiduk’s digital paintings, combined with layers of light and sound. Musical excerpts from various artists are blended to elicit emotional responses from the audience.
Haiduk is originally from Kimberley (he first exhibited his work there at the age of 23) and studied at the Vancouver Film School. He parlayed his aptitude for creating immersive visuals into two decades of solo and group exhibitions across Canada and the United States. In 2019 his works toured Serbia and Russia as part of a group show; a decade beforehand he exhibited locally at the Sechelt Arts Festival.
Metta Grove, which derives its name from a word in the Pali language for friendly and benevolent, is “a meditation on our intrinsic connection to nature and the foundations of this reality as light and sound,” Haiduk explained.
Haiduk’s art background is in traditional acrylic and oils, but for the last decade he has been working primarily in digital painting. As he forms his artworks, he composites layers that can be animated with video editing software. Ultimately, the results are imported into specialized playback software commonly used for live concert projection.
“I do the performance in there and capture that performance and then stitch it all together for what I present at the concert,” explained Haiduk.
Prerecorded elements of the presentation are accompanied by a live talk about creative inspiration and lifestyle integration of plant medicines. Hadiuk’s partner, Jane Calm, draws on her background as a somatic therapeutic counselor to explain how psychic abilities are inherited and accessed.
“I think we’ve really captured a guided journey that helps bring people to a specific place that is uncommon with live entertainment or even films for that matter,” added Hadiuk. “It has a unique aspect where it opens people up and evokes a sense of awe.”
The Metta Grove tour began in March with a concert in Vancouver. Hadiuk and Calm will be presenting in Cumberland, Salt Spring Island and Powell River later this month before returning to their Roberts Creek base.
Haiduk is a consummate multi-disciplinarian, and has released musical albums in genres ranging from meditative ambience to progressive rock.
“I’m always continually inspired,” he added. “At every concert that we interact with people, I see people’s expressions after and it makes me want to do more and definitely has me feeling I’m on the right track.”
Hediuk plans to precede his Dec. 16 performance with an afternoon artisan market featuring local vendors, and is still seeking vendor applications by email at [email protected].
Tickets for the immersive Metta Grove performance and a concert trailer are available online by visiting mettagrove.net.
