Synopsis

“Secrets of the Sun – Journey Into the Fire”  is an in-depth cinema exploration (begun 26 years ago)  that follows pioneering Solar Spectrum Artist, Peter Erskine, as he undergoes a personal and artistic crisis brought on by his sudden introduction to the reality of Climate Change in the late 1980s.  The film documents Erskine’s artistic struggles and personal breakthroughs as he tries to use the healing power of the rainbow to wake people up about the horrors of climate change and mass species extinction.

Stunning visuals by filmmaker Michael W. Barnard capture awed visitors drenched in rainbow colors at the inaugural exhibition of “Secrets of the Sun” which was installed in 1992 at Trajan’s Market – a unique and historically significant 2,000 year-old structure located within the ancient Roman Forum. Along with the stunning visuals, an evocative score by Erskine’s collaborator, sound artist Bruce Odland creates an unforgettable film experience. The documentary utilizes the original 16mm shot throughout the early ’90s along with recent High Definition footage that brings the story up to date – with an unexpected and moving final scene.

The film includes expert commentary from intuitive Psychiatrist and UCLA Associate Professor Judith Orloff, MD, Environmental Biologist and Environmental Advisor to 3 Presidents – Thomas Lovejoy, PhD, and Contemporary Art Critic & Writer Peter Clothier who brings a uniquely informed perspective to the project, having witnessed and wrote about the earliest stages of Secrets of the Sun and who has been witness to the simultaneous development of Secrets of the Sun and the growing environmental crisis over the past 23 years.