Resurrected Gods.. Medea.
Of all creatures that can feel and think,
we women are the worst treated things alive..
- Euripides, Medea
Maria Callas as Medea in Cherubini's opera
The source of my work lies much further than you can imagine, much further than in the Victorian 19th century. And don't let all this black and gloomy medieval spells bring you down. In fact, my view originates in antiquity, in the love of which I was taught by Merezhkovsky, whose works influenced me more than anything else. And to this day, in each of my works, I hear and see echoes of his prose..
The Romance of Leonardo da Vinci, Resurrected Gods by Dmitry Merezhkovsky and Medea by Euripides
But now I'm talking about another father. Euripides was the first of those who influenced me as an artist. This absolutely unique and destructive connection between love and violence, the strength and fragility of female nature, this unique line haunts me further.. in music, opera, cinema..
Maria Callas as Medea in Pasolini's film
And every manifestation of this genius becomes, as if by magic, something special for me. Cherubini's opera and Pasolini's film always guide me to the origins of my creative consciousness. One work filled with the full spectrum of divine sounds, and the other, almost silent. Together they sound like a hymn, a hymn for the lost and cursed times, the times when the gods walked the earth. But I would not like to reveal the whole spectrum, you have to hear, see, read for yourself..
Naya Kotko as Medea for Ccwdmoss
Very slowly, year after year, I embody ideas, images from books and stories dedicated to women, but this story has remained something unattainable for me until now. Each of my works is a reflection, my personal unconscious expression. And still, due to many factors, I can't create everything I would like. But this time I was lucky enough to touch this image with the help of a wonderful artist Naya Kotko. So far, just a touch..
Naya Kotko as Medea for Ccwdmoss
This year, the focus of my work is on a completely different character, a completely different story, a completely different time. But this invisible connection with this original pagan source will always haunt me, will always be read in my work.
To learn more about this unique artist, read Hakan's interview with Naya Kotko here.
And at the end, feel all the magic of these places, where Pasolini shot his legendary film, through the amazing voice of Zola Jesus..
