Darja Kazimira, Zura Makharadze - Minotaur - Ananke (2025)

Darja Kazimira Unveils "Minotaur - Ananke": A Sonic Journey Into Myth and Fate
Acclaimed artist Darja Kazimira in collaboration with Zura Makharadze presents her latest work, "Minotaur - Ananke", a mesmerizing cycle of vocal-instrumental improvisations dedicated to the final days of the Minotaur's life. This evocative release seeks to unearth the deeper essence of his existence and ultimate purpose, offering a bold reinterpretation of an ancient myth.
Far beyond the conventional retelling of the Minotaur as a mere monster slain by Theseus, "Minotaur - Ananke" reconstructs his narrative as one of profound ritualistic significance. Grandson of Helios, stepson of Minos—who judges the dead in the underworld—and brother to Ariadne, priestess of Dionysus, the Minotaur emerges as a Chthonic deity intertwined with the cosmic cycles of death and rebirth. His origins lie in the sacred yet grotesque union of Queen Pasiphae of Colchian descent and a sacrificial bull, a union steeped in mythic destiny.
Drawing from the philosophical insights of Aleksei Losev, Kazimira explores how the Minotaur's legend, stripped of its original meaning, became a mere grotesque fable in popular consciousness. Yet, archaeological discoveries and ancient texts reveal a more profound image: one of a primordial being rooted in Zagreus, the elder Dionysus, and an intricate system of ritual theater, dance, and human sacrifice.
Like the classical cult of Dionysus, the Minotaur's essence is his own death—a necessary passage toward transformation and divine rebirth. In "Minotaur - Ananke", Kazimira reimagines this eternal cycle through a dynamic interplay of sound and voice, evoking the tension between chaos and fate. The pseudo-heroic act of Theseus becomes merely the final push toward an inevitable destiny. While the Minotaur transcends into a new divine form and Ariadne fulfills her priestly role, Theseus, having fled from the mystery, carries the weight of an unfulfilled fate. The Labyrinth becomes a living embodiment of fear and chaos—an unrelenting force shadowing all who turn away from the gaze of Dionysus.
With "Minotaur - Ananke", Darja Kazimira crafts a visceral soundscape that echoes the depths of myth, history, and existential inevitability. This is not just an album; it is a ritual, an invocation, a reckoning with Ananke itself—the unbreakable thread of fate.
Darja Kazimira: vocals, rebec, bass drum, tom, percussion, aulos, hulusi, ģīga, found objects, baglama, cithara, clarinet, dvojnice, whistle, zurna, chuniri, rebab, tuba, thunder spring drum, violin, kemenche, bendir, davul, kangling, trumpet, gongs, tambourine, santour, bones, erhu, sasando, botalo, visual artist
Zura Makharadze: vocals, salamuri, ģīga, percussion, found objects, flute, bass drum, darbuka, davul, tom, didgeridoo, whistle, bones, stones, gong, kkwaenggwari, metal pipe, cymbal, tambourine, sogo, bendir, thunder spring drum, changi, botalo