Journey to Baikal: Lithuanian-American artist aims to explore Siberian shamanism

Abraham Brody, a Lithuanian-American performance artist and musician based in London, has launched a campaign to enable him to undertake a performance and video project on shamans in Buryatia, Siberia.

The project will see Brody create a new series of performances, in addition to a video installation together with visual artist and photographer Konstantin Guz, to be shown at a two-week solo exhibition at the Fabrika Centre for Creative Industries in Moscow in October 2016.

Brody’s campaign calls for funding to facilitate research during the summer on the rich traditions and beauty of Lake Baikal, along with places around Buryatia that are sacred to shamanism.

Shamanism is a spiritual practice focusing on access to the spirit world, resulting in healing or divination, and is widely practiced in Siberia. In Siberian shamanic rituals, shamans enter into a trance-like state through music, dance and song, during which it is believed that they can communicate with the spirits of dead ancestors and nature, and then channel these energies into the present world.

The artists also intend to bring the exhibition on tour to the UK, USA, and the Netherlands, as well as other European countries.

Brody’s campaign can be found here.