Thursday, 8. August 2019
Häxan: Witchcraft through the Ages
Summergarte, Zurich
www.summergarte.ch
Mara Miccichè aka Iokoi (Voice, Electronics)
‘Häxan’ is a hybrid creature. Benjamin Christensen’s film tells the story of the history of witchcraft both as a documentary and through dramatised scenes. At the same time, the film is a study of how superstition and the misinterpretation of diseases could lead to hysteria and witch hunts. Because of the graphic portrayal of torture, nudity and perversion, the film was shortened, censured or even banned in many countries. Nowadays it fascinates above all on account of its expressionist settings and the sombre-burlesque horror visions.
‘Häxan’ has been set to a variety of new music since the 1960s, especially by jazz and experimental musicians. Most famously, in 1968 a re-edited shorter version of the film was published as ‘Witchcraft Through the Ages’ with added narration by William S. Burroughs and a jazz score by Daniel Humair. This time, we will show the original film of 1922 with a new live performance by the Swiss singer and electronic sound artist Iokoi. Her music lies somewhere between avant-pop, dark ambient and glam-doom and contains all the necessary ingredients to this visual orgy.
The event only takes place if the weather is fine. Otherwise, we postpone it to 15 August 2019.