Artist Feature | Love Medicine
Love Medicine is a lifestyle experience brand built around a vibrant artistic community in New York City and around the world. They draw upon a large and engaged community of talented musicians, dancers, poets, visual artists and other performers, who are by and large under the radar and emerging to create unique and powerful experiences. We asked co-founder Lena Viddo some questions about her new event company and their entire room take over at The Sonic Jungle this upcomming weekend!
“The path of rationalism, male dominance, materialism, consumerism, ethnocentrism has led the world to the brink of crisis... our country, our society, our species and our planet need healing... love is the medicine.”
Dj Eli Light performing at The Standing Rock Fundraiser- Image Courtesy of Love Medicine
1. How Did Love Medicine come into existence?
Eli Light (Eliana Carson) and I (Lena Viddo) have been hosting events and parties for over a decade here in New York City and other east coast locations. After the election and the turn of political events we began to feel like we needed to do more for the community and so we created a fundraiser for Standing Rock.
The "Love Medicine” name came to me in a dream over the Thanksgiving holiday. I was very connected to the plight of the native americans and their supporters standing strong in the cold while getting doused by water cannons in sub-zero weather that weekend. As soon as I woke up, I called Eliana immediately to share the name with her while my fingers were crossed that it would also resonate with her. She understood and was on board with the idea instantly.
“We are Love Medicine" and we we're about to make a difference. We held our first fundraiser a week later. It was a huge success. Everyone came out to support the cause. Everyone donated what they could and contributed to the empowering and uplifting sense of solidarity.
Dj Eli Light - Image Courtesy of Love Medicine
2. What is the Mission of Love Medicine?
Love Medicine aims to create a transformational experiences through celebratory events held as rituals in order to nourish, heal and connect participants to Mother Earth and the Divine. Our mission is to empower others to improve their lives through the mind-body-spirit connection. We aim to grow our network of like-minded artists and tribesman from across the globe in order to create a Love Medicine movement towards consciousness, promoting the arts and elevating artists in doing so.
“Our core mission is to advance the evolution of consciousness through events held as transformational rituals, ceremonies and initiations that viscerally convey the boundless possibilities of a future founded on ideals of openness, love and compassion. ”
Artist Lena Viddo and DJ Eli Light- Image Courtesy of Love Medicine
3. What is your vision for the room you will be transforming at The Sonic Jungle?
Our vision is to cross pollinate our higher minded vision with that of The Sonic Jungle’s. We are ecstatic about having been invited to participate in this positive and forward thinking project, The Sonic Jungle. Party with a Purpose! We aim to create our own underground, (literally and figuratively) pseudo-jungle with an art installation by me, Lena, and tribal sounds by Koste, Eli Light and ExperimenTal. The goal is to have a healthy, enlightening experience where consciousness, creativity and community converge.
Artist Lena Viddo in her painting studio - Image Courtesy of Love Medicine
4. How does your work through Love Medicine promote sustainability for a healthier Earth?
Ethos driven Love Medicine is socially and environmentally conscious, and therefore larger than the product itself. Our ultimate goal is to create a Love Medicine movement towards consciousness spreading the word of "Love" as the answer. We are designing our events to be transformational experiences with Planet Earth in mind. We want to serve as healers through music, art, and the power of dance as ritual for the soul in a time of spiritual deprivation.
Love Medicine exemplifies a counter culture spirit and response to a society bereft and a planet in peril. Our company is in its nascent stages right now and we are focussing on donating 10% of our proceeds to charitable causes. The causes that we align ourselves with will always cross over into the territory of sustainability and protecting our sacred planet. By the end of the year we are hoping to organize retreats and nature reprieves; weekend outings where we will offer fun escapes from city life and also focus on workshops and seminars promoting sustainability and the environment.
Artist Sky White Tiger & Natalia Clavier Performing at The Standing Rock Fundraiser- Image Courtesy of Love Medicine
5. What are you most looking forward to at The Sonic Jungle?
We look forward to making magic and synergy with The Sonic Jungle. We hope that this is the beginning of a long standing relationship with many collaborations down the road. We anticipate that the Love Medicine Tribe will be there to support and work with The Sonic Jungle on these upcoming and future events!