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M.O.C - OPEN CALL
The Mass of Curiosity : How can we empower our exploration and reflection on meaning and the universe by creating a communal, “played” religion? To start: a bi-weekly absurdist mass taking place in an old church in the Hague, Instead of faith, there is endless curiosity, and instead of priests, the ceremony is guided by Jesters.
Become a (parttime) Jester, or apply with a project.
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Mass of Curiosity : Open call for Jesters and project proposals.
Deadline, 3rd of May, Next Mass 19th of April
1 : An oppurtunity for programming a platform in a church hall.
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At Loosduinsekade 359, there stands an empty church with an empty hall. I have been (in practice) organizing Mass here every other Sunday. Each time is a standalone event following the same template:
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A Jester, with no existing knowledge of the world, expresses his curiosity to the visitors and the universe. During Mass, curiosity around specific themes is explored through conversation with visitors and through ceremonial activities such as music, visual art, and food. The elements that connect all the Masses are the roleplay of the Jesters and their costumes. Beyond that, the types of ceremonial activities are incredibly flexible. Even existing art pieces could easily be expressed through this format if wrapped in a ceremonial layer.
Central to it all is shared exploration. M.O.C. is looking for people who would like to participate and help design and organize these Masses, or perform an art medium in a shared ceremonial setting.
2 : The puzzle of the meaning of everything. (Jesters play)
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The philosophy of M.O.C. is inspired by the existence of endless meaning and endless exploration. The universe, life, and our lives are infinitely diverse and complex—what they are now, and what they could be if they were not what they are. We have an infinity of exploration and discovery in front of us if we allow ourselves to see it.
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Yet, sometimes in our contemporary lives, we may not feel the freedom or the opportunities to follow our curiosities or engage with that which is not solid, directly useful, or concrete. We might be in need of a new type of ritual that creates a certain exploratory ability within us.
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M.O.C. seeks to find a way to empower people (or creatures) to interact with reality in a broad, unbiased way—to experience it, reflect on it, and be inspired by it. The Jester’s play is about enabling curiosity without taking sides or having a preference for outcomes. They do not believe in objective truths, yet they embrace anyone’s and any type of subjective meaning. Furthermore, the question of good and bad, and moral frameworks, is irrelevant to them.
3 : The Masters of Ceremony - Three New Jesters
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For now, the template of M.O.C. is divided into four roles: the priestly Jester and the three Masters of Ceremony (the three sensations). Each is a distinct character with their own actions during Mass, and for each role I am looking for people interested in performing them. During a Mass, a subject of curiosity will be chosen. The priestly Jester will speak about it and ask questions to the visitors, and the Masters of Ceremony will each provide an interpretive sensation related to the explored subject.
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The Jester of Music and Sound
This Jester functions as a sort of house band and does not need to be a singular person (however, only one person will wear the hat). This Jester provides a soundscape during the ceremony and intervals for listening to music. Sound and music are essential to the atmosphere. I have prepared some instruments to start with, such as a blues organ and large copper barrels, but others can be added. Any type of musician is welcome! I am particularly eager for an organist.
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The Jester of Context and Visuals
This Jester provides things to look at and is able to invite “guests” from the “real” world—a speaker or scientist, for example. This Jester can create visuals to be shown during sermons (moving projections, paint, lights, etc.) and has a segment during Mass in which something “found” in the real world is presented. This can be anything: a poet, a theatre piece, a piece of furniture, a fork, etc. It can then become a subject of discussion.
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The Jester of Tastes and Smells
This Jester provides things to eat, drink, and smell, and is perhaps the most community-oriented role. At the beginning of each Mass, the first character that visitors will be greeted by is this one, offering them a drink. Then, as a closing part of each Mass, a (simple) meal will be shared. (I am not a food artist myself, so if there are ideas to make this Jester’s role more ceremonial, let me know.)
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These roles are enough to begin with. However, in the future, other roles could be added—such as a myth-making Jester. These are not the priority for now, but if you have strong ideas for other Jesters, feel free to contact me about them.
4 : Send your ideas
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​If becoming any of these Jesters, showing a work in a Ceremony, or helping organize these Masses is something that speaks to you, send an email to : olivier@ovdbrandt.com before the 3rd of May. In this email, include:​
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Your name and one sentence of practical information about yourself.
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A short text about your curiosity, and whether you are responding in relation to one of the Masters of Ceremony or with another idea.​
I will reach out to you. ​
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