Lights in the Darkness Summoned by the Witch of Thessaly

Lights in the Darkness by Lila Moore - Documentation of Multimedia Performance

Lights in the Darkness was a multimedia piece which I performed at the Haifa Museum of Modern Art. Inspired by Charles Baudelaire's poem 'The Desire to Paint', the somewhat androgynous protagonist assumed both the characters of the poet and his demonic double and muse, who since disappeared in the darkness of one unforgettable night, haunts his visions with the intensity of a midnight black sun. In his visions, she manifests like the moon of the Witches of Thessaly.

The presence of the poet's double in space, the double which interchangeably signified the poet or the muse, was hinted by the performing protagonist's reflection that fell on the projected imagery or was reflected in mirrors, which were utilized as part of the performance and the setting. These initial images of the double as a reflection or apparition hovering on or seemingly moving within physical and ethereal sites and interiors were my first explorations of moving within what I currently term as noetic fields of the mind.

Lights in the Darkness was performed at the Haifa Museum of Modern Art as part of a biennale for young artists. It was curated by performance art pioneer Motti Mizrachi.

This is the fourth post in the series Fields of Origin – My journey Towards Cybernetic Futures, which includes text and images from my early works. These creative concepts are mentioned in my practice-based PhD thesis as they gradually led me to explore further.