{"product_id":"zeena-schreck-the-zaum-of-zeena","title":"Zeena Schreck The Zaum of Zeena","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.zeenaschreck.com\/store\/p11\/\/www.zeenaschreck.com\/store\/c1\/Featured_Products.html.html\"\u003eThis book is currently available via Zeena's website\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eREVIEW BY LUCA PICCOLO\u003cbr\u003eWSF (Words Social Forum)\u003cbr\u003eDec. 2015\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e The Zaum of Zeena, published by Frank Haines in 2015, presents a \"collection of Interview, Essay, Quotes and Images\" from the famous Berlin artist Zeena Schreck. For those who have followed Zeena's path, this text is a highly anticipated volume which examines the artist's work, ranging from sound to visual media. The interviews present the most interesting aspects of the life, the thought and the philosophy that always accompanies Zeena.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003eIn the first pages of this volume, it is written: \"her art, like her music, is best understood as a non-verbal trans-rational branch of her spiritual teaching.\" The best way to understand this can be compared to the author Dante who, in his Paradiso, referred to the theological term “Gloria” as an intense religious experience that combines the vision of infinite light echoing a harmonic sound and the transcendental.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003eOne might experience something similar while reading a poem by the Russian poet Velimir Khlebnikov, whereby the mind receives an image of transcendental luminosity accompanied by a harmonic tonal quality. We recall also that the latter, together with Alexei Kručënykh (another futurist poet), gave rise to that Phonosymbolic language called Zaum (Заумь), a phenomenon after which this book is titled.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003eBut in order to have this kind of transcendental experience from a work of art, one needs to develop and learn how to use one's sensory perception in a most supernatural way. Therefore, in the case of Zeena's work, we can only begin to understand the deeper dimensions of her art and music, which are so closely linked to her spiritual path, by developing our own senses and spiritual awareness. We might then come to understand how it is that her creations are \"a non-verbal, trans-rational branch of her spiritual teaching.\" In fact, this is the main theme of the first interview in this book, which happens to be my own interview with Zeena, originally published in WSF (online art journal).\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThis is followed by excerpts from the interview with the author Konstantinos that focuses on exploring spirituality and the magical path of this artist. A theme which is then expanded upon in a different way in the wonderful interview with Che Chetty (for the School of Religion, Philosophy and Classics, University of Kwazulu Natal, South Africa), where certain aspects of Tantra are analyzed and investigated. In this series of questions and answers we see two alternating fronts: the academic vs. the practical knowledge.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe interview by Maxime Lachaud, drops us completely into the musical dimension of the artist, and investigates mainly the work that Zeena made with recordings for Radio Werewolf. Also relevant to her work during Radio Werewolf is an extract from \"Mythos Wewelsburg: Fakten und Legenden\" by Daniele Siepe, in which the artist explains the reason for a particular position\/asana she takes in a scene from her Video Werewolf film \"Germany: The Theory of Ruins\" (1992). Both of these interviews make us reflect on the meticulousness that the artist uses for the realization of every single opera. With this in mind, it spontaneously came to my mind how the composition of this volume was not at all left to chance.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003eAlso included in this collection are two writings by Zeena originally published in the Beatdom Magazine # 11(referring to \"Liberation under the Snow Moon,\" the story of a salvific mission to free captive wolves from a fur farm) and Vice Magazine (\"A Tale of Two Birds and Tantric Meditation\").\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003eAll the interviews are linked together through a series of quotes and images, which greatly augment the value of the text and make for a most pleasant and smooth reading experience. Between the lines we also see beauty and clarity: perhaps the two most emotionally engaging effects of this publication.\u003cbr\u003eThis is a text that gives to the general public the opportunity to understand Zeena Schreck and her art. It is certainly a must read by anyone interested in the spiritual and artistic aspects of Zeena. But also for those who have only a marginal interest in these topics, it is still a treat.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e--Luca Piccolo\u003cbr\u003e2015 Naples, Italy  \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eREVIEW BY NICHOLAS DIAK\u003cbr\u003eHeathen Harvest Music Magazine\u003cbr\u003e31st December 2015\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“The Zaum of Zeena” Edited by Frank Haines\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOne of the standout qualities of iconic individuals in the post-industrial underground is their ability to\u003cbr\u003ebe successful in a variety of mediums. The subject matter they explore—occultism, history, literature,\u003cbr\u003emagic, criminals, film, Grail studies, taboo topics, etc.—crops up in their songs, short films, books,\u003cbr\u003epoetry, art, photography, and a plethora of other outlets. Correlating such output is a daunting task. In\u003cbr\u003ethe earlier days of the internet, musicians made webpages, fans made fan pages, and forums and\u003cbr\u003ewebrings were the standard means to stay up to snuff. Today, one has to dive through Facebook and\u003cbr\u003eTwitter posts to get a handle on what these multifaceted musicians are all about. It’s refreshing when\u003cbr\u003eartists-turned-authors rely on the tried and true method of releasing a book to aggregate their\u003cbr\u003ephilosophies, art, photography, and other personal anecdotes. Gerhard Hallstatt set a benchmark in the\u003cbr\u003eneofolk scene when he published Blutleuchte a few years ago, and a peppering of other artists seem to\u003cbr\u003ebe following suit.\u003cbr\u003eZeena Schreck is a multi-media artist, writer, musician famous for Radio Werewolf, and Tantric\u003cbr\u003eBuddhist whose artistic output spans decades. Her newest literary offering is The Zaum of Zeena, a\u003cbr\u003esoftcover that straddles the zine\/book format that debuted at the tenth annual New York Art Book Fair\u003cbr\u003eat the MoMA PS2 this past September. The alliteration in the title is a re-appropriation of a term for a\u003cbr\u003eRussian art movement during World War I that encompassed many fields. In the case of The Zaum of\u003cbr\u003eZeena “zaum” is being used as an umbrella term for Schreck’s many endeavors that are showcased in\u003cbr\u003ethe book.\u003cbr\u003eThe majority of art included in The Zaum of Zeena exhibits Schreck’s photography and illustrations\u003cbr\u003erendered in pencils or inks. Viewing her artwork in this format creates a paradoxical experience for\u003cbr\u003ereaders of The Zaum of Zeena. On one side, the black-and-white versions of the artwork takes on a\u003cbr\u003eunique meaning when realized in the zine medium. It imparts on the pieces a weight of angst, rebellion,\u003cbr\u003eor transgressive attitude, all stemming from either a punk or D.I.Y. ethos. Such attributes may not have\u003cbr\u003ebeen present in the artwork before, but they now carry it. In this case, the medium can either alter or\u003cbr\u003eenhance the message, and Schreck’s artwork is subversive enough that this multi-prong approach\u003cbr\u003eworks.\u003cbr\u003eOn the flip-side, however, the zine format does not convey the artist’s original vision in the best\u003cbr\u003efacsimile. Colors become lost and shades become either muted or abrupt. There is anexcerpt from an\u003cbr\u003einterview with Obsküre within the zine in which Schreck argues that listeners of digital versions of\u003cbr\u003emusic are missing out on needed context that the original physical release provides. This attitude can\u003cbr\u003ealso be applied to these versions of Schreck’s graphic work—that experiencing them in this fashion\u003cbr\u003emuddles the original meaning and context. While the zine format is satisfactory at giving an appetizer\u003cbr\u003eof Schreck’s art, it does demonstrate the need for a Taschen-esque book to give her work a presentation\u003cbr\u003ethat is as close to the original as possible.\u003cbr\u003eThe real treat and highlights of The Zaum of Zeena are found in the many excerpts of interviews and\u003cbr\u003epersonal writings of Schreck that comprise the majority of content in the book. The five interviews and\u003cbr\u003etwo penned essays consolidated within provide a succinct overview of Schreck’s activities for the past\u003cbr\u003etwenty-five years along with glimpses and elaborations on her personal philosophies. For example, in\u003cbr\u003ethe interview with the Italian art magazine WSF, Schreck elaborates on the artistic path she has walked:\u003cbr\u003eshe describes her art as being both communication between realities and dichotomies, but also a\u003cbr\u003ereflection of experiences both personal and shared. The interview with the author Konstantinos turns the\u003cbr\u003edialog to the spiritual and the magical. A particular highlight with this interview is that Schreck states\u003cbr\u003ethat many folks say they are on a path to discover a truth, but she underscores that such a path calls for\u003cbr\u003ea certain amount of sacrifice to one’s personal comfort while challenging what they believe in their\u003cbr\u003eworld; often, their statements are just veneer. In brutal and biting honesty, Schreck says, “look at the\u003cbr\u003eworld around you and tell me that it appears to be filled with people genuinely in search of the truth!” It\u003cbr\u003ecertainly calls for a pause of reflection, regardless of anyone’s personal affiliations.\u003cbr\u003eThe two personal stories, “A Tale of Two Birds and Tantric Meditation” and “Liberation Under the\u003cbr\u003eSnow Moon,” spotlight Schreck’s proficiency at storytelling while conveying deeper, personal\u003cbr\u003ephilosophies without being heavy-handed. For example, in “Liberation Under the Snow Moon,”\u003cbr\u003eSchreck recounts her experience helping a group of eighty Mongolian wolves that were en route to a\u003cbr\u003eFrench wildlife preserve, saving them from a fate of being turned into coats. She peppers her story with\u003cbr\u003ereferences to the She-Wolf who birthed Rome’s founding siblings, Romulus and Remis, and to the wolf\u003cbr\u003eFenrir of Norse tradition. This gives the account spiritual weight: a gentle reminder that our modern\u003cbr\u003elives are without reverence to the natural world. The Zaum of Zeena was originally released in a\u003cbr\u003elimited run of fifty copies to be sold at the New York Art Book Fair with any remaining copies being\u003cbr\u003eoffered by Schreck’s web store in late November. Upon this re-offering, the zines quickly sold out, and\u003cbr\u003ea second edition release was immediately put into production. The zine\/book is fairly short, but its\u003cbr\u003econtent is dense. Those unfamiliar with Schreck’s work will definitely have a better appreciation and\u003cbr\u003eunderstanding of her work after having read it.\u003cbr\u003e_____________________________________________________\u003cbr\u003eReview Written by: Nicholas Diak\u003cbr\u003ePublisher: Heinzfeller Nileisist\u003cbr\u003eEditor: Frank Haines\u003cbr\u003ePublication Date: September 18, 2015\u003cbr\u003eFile Under: Music \/ Music Biography \/ Art \/ Photography\u003cbr\u003eLanguage: English\u003cbr\u003eISBN: N\/A\u003cbr\u003eFormat: Paperback\u003cbr\u003ePages: 84\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"New Dracula Theater","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":52283605549351,"sku":null,"price":0.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0941\/2378\/6535\/files\/ZOZ.cover.jpg?v=1792020087","url":"https:\/\/newdraculatheater.com\/products\/zeena-schreck-the-zaum-of-zeena","provider":"New Dracula Theater","version":"1.0","type":"link"}