Participation in a festival where a wooden henge was constructed according to archaeological concepts and cosmological ideas became the starting point for Hoathy Henge. The structure’s interpretation, function, the ways people connected to it and to one another formed the core of the work.
Rising early each day, the author documented the henge using a tablet, recording video, observing its use, and witnessing how others engaged with it. Particular attention was paid to moments of collective presence and reflection, especially at sunrise and sunset. Conversations with participants revealed a wide range of personal interpretations, many describing the henge as a space of healing, openness, and shared emotion.
These observations developed into a symbiotic story-poem. Sketches were transformed into still images using AI tools, while artificial voice technologies were employed to read the composite text. A song emerged organically from the writing process, leading to further experimentation with AI-generated melodies and vocals until a fitting emotional tone was found.
The final stage involved assisting with the deconstruction of the henge. The resulting video functions as a diary of the structure’s brief existence, preserving the memories, feelings, and collective experiences generated during its presence.
The project is part of the subtheme The Poetics of Care – Intimacy, Tenderness, Repair.
Author
Kevin Wright
Kevin Wright came to poetry later in life. It helped him cope with the mental health strain of returning to work as a physiotherapist caring for COVID patients during the pandemic. In his first year of writing, he produced around 150 poems and has continued since, with some of his work published in anthologies. He enjoys performing his poems, which led him to develop video versions of selected pieces. He is interested in the rhythmic complexity of poetry and in exploring its use alongside other forms of creative writing, including plays and short stories.
