Every year the Øya Festival challenges one band to soundtrack a silent film of their choice. The last few years we have seen Serena Maneesh, 120 Days and Next Life completing the task successfully, and it was with great anticipation we took the news that Æthenor would be performing at Eldorado Cinema this year.
Æthenor have decided to compliment Maya Deren, an avant-garde film-maker of the 40s and 50s. Her social circle included both John Cage, Marcel Duchamp, André Breton and Anaïs Nin, and she herself had a strong voice as both filmmaker and theorist. She criticised mainstream cinema’s cosmetic and commercial concerns, and is known for stating “I make my pictures for what Hollywood spends on lipstick”. It is four of her short films that will make the setting for Æthenor’s concert: Meshes of the Afternoon, Ritual in Transfigured Time, Meditation on Violence and The Witches’ Cradle.
The films balance on the edge between dreamlike and awake scenarios creating rituals through rhytmic movements and variations. Deren’s pioneer films are a perfect example of post-war avant-garde, and this one off fleeting meeting between her and an avant-garde metal band half a decade later could become quite the transcendental date.
During their concert series at Blå this spring, Stephen O’Malley explained to us Æthenor hardly finds the opportunity to rehearse, with members scattered across several countries, and Oslo has become the common denominator for the band. This, however, does not seem to harm their performances in any way, and I believe satisfaction is guaranteed for dearest Maya.
Æthenor vs. Maya Deren, at Eldorado Cinema Tuesday 10th August - 18.30
Price: 100NOK w/festival pass / 200NOK without
Recent years’ silent films during Øya:
Next Life vs. L’âge d’or
120 Days vs. Unser Täglich Brot
Kim Hiorthøy vs. The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari
Serena Maneesh vs. Dracula: Pages from a Virgin’s Diary
Xploding Plastix vs. Tuvalu
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