art
Egypt's ancient zar ritual
At Cairo's Makan Cultural Centre, the Mazaher ensemble performs a lighter version of "zar", an music and dance ritual with centuries-old roots, that aims to ward off or exorcise jinn, or evil spirits.
Vimeo
Filmed in Allahabad and Varanasi during the 2019 Kumbh Mela Hindu pilgrimage, where an estimated 120 million pilgrims gathered between January and March. The Kumbh Mela occurs once every 6 and 12 years, and is the largest gathering of humans on the planet. " यागः सर्वतीर्थेभ्यः प्रभवत्यधिकं विभो ॥ श्रवणात् तस्य तीर्थस्य नामसंकीर्तनादपि । मृत्तिकालम्भनाद्वापि नरः पापात् प्रमुच्यते ॥ O King ! Prayag (Allahabad) is the superior-most among all pilgrimage places. If its greatness is heard, its Name is chanted or if its soil is smeared on the body, man will be liberated from all sins. ~ Mahabharat, Parva 3, Adhyaya 83, Shloka 74, 75
James William Blades is a composer, producer and sound artist whose work includes a wide range of productions across film, art exhibitions, documentaries, sound installations, theatre and fashion. James’ work fuse’s original composition with soundscapes, creating textural and detailed productions that aim to develop sonic narratives. Exploring the use of timbre, harmony and musical aesthetic’s, James looks to reshape the line between music and sound, and to try and establish sonic landscapes that create new moods and convey new meanings.