Shadows on the Stage

“¹¹ And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them.

¹² For it is a shame even to speak of those things which are done of them in secret.”

— Epistle to the Ephesians 5:11-12 KJV

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The Great Delusion

American Caligula

Hellfire

The Podesta email scandal in October of 2016 was the match that lit the infamous “Pizzagate” affair ablaze. It remains integral in understanding the disquieting nexus between our rulers and the occult — epitomized by John Podesta’s correspondence with Marina Abramović. WikiLeaks exposed much in the lead up to the 2016 election, including the revelations of Podesta’s involvement with Abramović’s infamous “spirit cooking” dinners. This scandal continues to resonate as it helps to illuminate the subterranean currents flowing through the shadowy corridors of power, a realm where political artifice and arcana are melded. The confluence of political elites and esoteric practices is one that I have explored quite thoroughly on this publication: behind the veneer of democracy and celebrity, dark and sinister forces are truly at play.

Spirit cooking is a ritualistic practice involving the invocation of arcane energies through the grotesque and symbolic acts of bloodletting, effigy consumption, and cryptic incantations — all whilst masquerading as avant-garde “art”:

The act of spirit cooking involves Abramović using pig’s blood as a way of connecting with the spiritual world, to cook up thoughts rather than food. A video of the practice shows her writing various statements with the blood, such as “with a sharp knife cut deeply into your middle finger eat the pain”.

— Marina Abramović mention in Podesta emails sparks accusations of satanism

Rooted in Aleister Crowley’s Thelemic traditions, this macabre ceremony traverses the fringes of esoteric ritual performance, ensnaring the credulous with its veneer of profundity. According to the practitioners of these pagan rites, such rituals are utilized to manifest creative or supernatural forces. Naturally, practitioners such as Abramović veil themselves in the sanctimonious guise of artistic expression as they engage in these neo-Dionysian rites. In essence, spirit cooking epitomizes the perennial human fascination with the forbidden whilst cloaked in the ephemeral guise of modernity.

At the heart of this enigma stands Marina Abramović, a figure whose work has ignited controversy and brought occult practices to the forefront of the art world. Marina Abramović was born on November 30th, 1946 into a family steeped in communistic zeal. To fully grasp the disconcerting aspects of Abramović’s identity, we must embark on a journey that delves into her origins and the unsettling realm of occultism that pervades her artistry.

The Abramović clan trace their roots back all the way to the Sephardic Jewish community of Hispania, and Marina’s lineage goes back to the fervent communist milieu of post-World War II Yugoslavia. Her parents, Danica and Vojin Abramović, were staunch supporters of the communist regime: her mother served as a high-ranking intelligence officer in the Yugoslav People’s Army, whilst her father was a celebrated national hero and guerrilla during World War II. An upbringing in a household dedicated to the ideals of communism profoundly shaped Abramović’s early life: during an art exhibition, she would even carve the communist pentagram into her flesh.

Her true heritage has largely been whitewashed on Wikipedia as of November 4th, 2016; and while not always the central theme of her public persona, it cannot be dismissed out of hand, for it undoubtedly shapes her outlook upon not only life but her art as well. Marina Abramović, “the sorceress who creates art” has deftly intertwined her art with Kabbalistic mysticism, undeniably shaping the spiritual and metaphysical dimensions of her work. Her performances are not mere spectacles, but invitations to the audience to embark on their own dark spiritual journey. In doing so, she continues to bridge the realms of art, mysticism, and the human experience. It becomes evident upon the merest reflection that her performances and exhibitions possess overt esoteric and luciferian symbolism.

— The occult “art” of Marina Abramović, such as the all-seeing eye motif, the Baphomet skull, and the serpent.

“Theatre is fake… The knife is not real, the blood is not real, and the emotions are not real.

Performance is just the opposite: the knife is real, the blood is real, and the emotions are real.”

— Marina Abramović

Marina’s artistic exodus has delved deeply into the realms of mysticism and the esoteric, drawing not only from her twisted artistic vision but also from her heritage. Kabbalah, an ancient form of Jewish mysticism, has left an indelible mark on her work, guiding her exploration of the hidden dimensions of reality and human experience. Kabbalah is derived from the Hebrew word kabbal, meaning to receive. It is a mystical and esoteric branch of Talmudic Judaism that seeks to unravel the hidden aspects of the “divine”.

Abramović’s art frequently incorporates these Kabbalistic themes, exploring the interconnectedness of the physical and spiritual realms. Her performances often involve ritualistic aspects and intense physical ordeals in order to evoke a sense of transcendence, akin to the Kabbalistic journey of ascending through the Sefirot. One of the central concepts in Kabbalah is the Tree of Life, a diagram representing the Sefirot and the paths connecting them. Abramović’s art can be seen as a parallel to this mystical structure, with her performances acting as pathways leading audiences to ritually induced, altered states of consciousness.

Just as Kabbalists strive to achieve a closer connection to the “divine”, Abramović’s work aims to forge a profound connection between the artist, the audience, and the hidden realms of the human psyche.

In her performance piece The Artist Is Present, Abramović sat silently at a table for hours, making eye contact with individuals who took turns sitting across from her:

The performance took place in the spring of 2010. Overall, Abramović spent a total of 736 hours and 30 minutes sitting in the chair. While some audience members only sat across her for a few moments, others decided to test the limits of time by spending several hours looking into the eyes of the artist.  The piece ended up making headline news, and large queues started forming, as more and more people started flocking to the museum. The simple act of looking into Abramović´s eyes made several audience members burst into tears, and many described the experience as immensely touching. Abramović’s performance was also visited by several celebrities, including Lady Gaga, Sharon Stone, and her former lover and collaborator Ulay.

— 12 Facts About Marina Abramović and Her Work

It serves as a prime example of this insidious occult outreach under the guise of “art”: Abramović coerced participants into engaging in a wordless exchange, attempting to manipulate their thoughts and emotions. This meditative act can be interpreted as a form of spiritual communion, much like the Kabbalistic practice of devekut.

The use of ritualistic elements in Abramović’s performances is seen throughout Kabbalistic practices as well. Kabbalists frequently employ rituals and symbols as a means of invoking spiritual forces and connecting with the so-called higher realms. Similarly, Abramović’s use of ritual, repetition, and symbolism in her art serves as a bridge between the physical and spiritual dimensions.

“Pain is a door.”

— Marina Abramović

Her most ambitious art installation is the “Crystal Wall of Crying” at Babyn Yar, Ukraine. The memorial is “about memory. It’s about pain. It’s about life and death”:

The Crystal Wall of Crying is Marina Abramovic’s reflection on the tragedy of Babyn Yar and the Holocaust. It symbolizes the terrible impact of mass murder on collective memory and the healing potential of focused reflection for future generations. The wall creates a special space where everyone can think, remember, reflect on the tragic events of the past and draw personal conclusions. Interaction with natural quartz crystals seeks to heal the wounds of the past by reconnecting with individual body experiences.

The Crystal Wall of Crying is a symbolic extension of the Eastern Wall of the Temple of Jerusalem, which runs through Babyn Yar.

The Crystal Wall of Crying is forty meters long and three meters high and consists of anthracite and 75 quartz crystals. Visitors are invited to interact with the crystals and meditate.

— Marina Abramović Institute

Before we even delve into the obvious esoteric nature of this instillation, we must address the supposed mass killing it memorializes.

The alternative historian John Wear meticulously exposes the inconsistencies and improbabilities in this narrative in his essay on the massacre, Babyn Yar: The Einsatzgruppen Killings. This massacre attributed to Einsatzgruppe C of the Schutzstaffel (SS) reportedly involved the execution of 33,771 Jews in a ravine outside Kiev over September 29th-30th, 1941. This figure is cited from Einsatzgruppen Event Report 106, a document which has faced intense scrutiny both due to its dubious origins from the Soviet-occupied zones as well as clear evidence of postwar tampering. The scant eyewitness accounts, such as Vladimir K. Davidov’s, are conflicting: Davidov asserts that the lack of forensic proof to substantiate any deaths, let alone tens of thousands, was due to a mass exhumation and cremation in September of 1943. These alleged mass cremations lack any corroborative evidence.

Luftwaffe aerial photography from September 26th, 1943, show no signs of the extensive activity claimed. Moreover, the logistical feasibility of the reported events at Babyn Yar faces significant scrutiny. Davidov’s claim that 70,000 bodies were exhumed in a matter of days before being burned on grilles of granite blocks and train rails presents an extreme logistical improbability. Given the need for vast quantities of firewood, fuel, and manpower, this should have left discernible traces. Aerial photographs reveal an undisturbed landscape inconsistent with the reported mass cremations. Contradictory eyewitness testimonies and the absence of detailed forensic investigations casts further doubt on the veracity of these allegations. The scarcity of physical evidence, including bullet casings and disturbed vegetation, underscores the contentious and debated nature of the Babyn Yar massacre narrative.

— “Instructions for the Crystal Wall of Crying. Face the wall. Press your, head, heart, and stomach in front of the crystals. Duration: limitless”. Source: Marina Abramović Institute (via Archive.org).

Marina Abramović’s Crystal Wall of Crying stands as a brazen spiritual loci, purposefully constructed to exploit the engineered trauma of Babyn Yar. Cloaked in the veneer of solemn remembrance, it uses the supposed esoteric properties of anthracite and quartz to craft a façade of healing and reflection. The black Anthracite symbolizes the depths of despair, while quartz is revered by occultists for its purported ability to channel spiritual energy. This installation is less a memorial and more a deliberate tool for engaging with the spiritual realm.

Throughout her career, Abramović has openly explored rituals, symbols, and practices that bridge the gap between the mundane and the malevolent. Her deep interest in the occult unveils itself through her transgressive art, a blood-soaked descent into the abyss of human depravity.

What may appear as mere artistry truly masks a sinister spiritual agenda.

“But what is art other than revealing human nature?”

— Marina Abramović

Marina Abramović — the high priestess of modern art — has seamlessly woven herself into the tapestry of celebrity and politics. Her infamous spirit cooking soirées have attracted a constellation of high-profile adherents, including Lady Gaga. Political figures are not immune to her enigmatic allure, with John Podesta’s leaked emails revealing an unsettling proximity to her ritualistic endeavors. Abramović’s collaborations with Jay-Z, notably in his film Picasso Baby, further cements her position as the nexus where art, occultism, and power intersect. Inextricably linked to the upper echelons of society, her work blurs the lines between artistic expression and the darker undercurrents of elite culture.

— Effigy consumption, the mock consumption of human flesh or the real consumption of human fluids.

— Marina Abramović poses with Jacob Rothschild in front of the painting “Satan summoning his Legions”.

Marina Abramović’s life and artistry unveil a sinister tale, one that revolves around her origins, her nefarious outreach, and her unholy obsession with the occult. Her journey is not one of mere artistic exploration: it is a descent into the darkest recesses of the human soul. Her outreach now extends beyond artistic expression and into the realms of politics and “philanthropy”:

‌“I have been invited by Zelensky to be an ambassador of Ukraine, to help the children affected by rebuilding schools and such.”

— Zelensky asks Marina Abramovic to be ambassador for Ukraine. September 22nd, 2023

Ah yes, this sadomasochistic occultist just wants to help the displaced children of Ukraine, I’m sure.

From her early performances in Yugoslavia to her shocking displays on the worldwide stage, Abramović often delves into the realms of dark ritualistic practices. At the heart of Abramović’s artistry lies an obsession with the occult. Her quest for pushing the boundaries of human experience dives headlong into the abyss of esoteric practices. As it should be manifestly clear, her obsession with blood, death, and debauchery has more than bled into her work; often masquerading as avant-garde performance, it is, in reality, a thinly veiled tribute to the darkest forces that govern our existence.

Marina Abramović, the self-styled “grandmother of performance art”, has woven an insidious web connecting the realms of art, celebrity, and politics. Her notorious spirit cooking rituals have ensnared high-profile figures such as Lady Gaga, James Franco, Jay-Z, and John Podesta. These alliances reveal a disturbing confluence of cultural influence and manipulation, where “art” becomes a conduit for occult indoctrination. Abramović’s proximity to political power brokers, masked under the guise of avant-garde performance, highlights a deeper, more sinister agenda at work.

It is a shame to even have to discuss topics of such a grotesques nature. The true obscenity, however, lies not in these grotesque spectacles, but in the silent acquiescence to its malefic designs.

America has a festering wound: at its source you will find spiritual forces of a profoundly malevolent nature.

— Shadows on the Stage, digital art, 2024.

“Immaterial art is the strongest because there’s no obstacle; there’s just energy, and I believe in energy.”

— Marina Abramović

Further Research