miércoles, 12 de noviembre de 2014

Wave Gotik Treffen 2014


The normality of Darkness
Spring comes, as every year. And colors spread, as always, everywhere… but in one place: Leipzig.
The green-friendly German city turns dark every such season, since 23 years already.
Leipzig chooses a black mantle to celebrate the Wave Gotik Treffen, the world’s largest festival of the Gothic scene. Elegance and boldness meet in the capital of darkness during four days full of music concerts, exhibitions, performances, lectures, parties and fashion shows. The usually quite hidden and mysterious Gothic world emerges fleetingly and splendorously.

 
Photos: Gothic elegance (left); Violet Tears in concert (right)

In Germany, the Gothic culture has a lot to say, and in many other places around the globe, especially in Japan and some South American countries, it grows slowly and subtly.
In Lebanon Gothic Metal band The Arcane has led the almost insignificant dark scene for quite longer than a decade, while visible social activity is limited to a couple of events a year.

The oficial but also casual opening ceremony of the Wave Gotik Treffen is the multitudinous Victorian Picnic at the Clara Zetkin Park, one of the city’s numerous green spots, near the center. Visitors to the WGT bring together on the grass, under the huge trees, and display their refined vintage country picnic basquets and artifacts such as candelabrums, wine coolers, exquisite table clothes, parasols, gramophones, and other less sophisticated barbecue utensils. It is not a competition but many seem to play the game to be the most glamourous among the whole gathering, while participants, curious, tourists and photographers admire their outfit, costumes, make up and settings.

Photos: Victorian Picnic

Gothic birth
The Gothic subculture is musically based and driven; the music is what holds the social scene together and it has associated tastes in music and fashion.

Modern Goth (ignoring the traditional notions of Gothicism) started between late 70’s and early 80's as an evolution of the punk subculture, from which it inherited its rejection of most societal values, and anything considered part of the 'norm'. The term was coined by the band manager of Joy Division, Anthony H. Wilson, who described the band as 'Gothic compared with the pop mainstream'. The label stuck, and as punk eventually died, Goth survived and became a subculture on its own. The punk clothing and hairstyles mellowed, and the core 'rejection of society' attitude alone lived on in the new gothic movement. Over time this itself has been modified to be more of a 'no more blind acceptance of society's values' as opposed to absolute rejection. It has turned from an 80's phenomenon into a 90's way of life for many people. The goth subculture is remarkable for its longevity compared with others of the same era. Prove of that is that you may find at least three generations of Goths everywhere.

Photos: Gothic styles

So far as to what mainstream media officially state. But being Goth is more than just liking a certain kind of music or dressing in black. Goth is not a phase, it is something that either you are or you are not. Goths are most likely to carry on being such into their adult life.
Gothic always was. It somehow exists since the dawn of time. Therefore, there have been always Gothic people whether they were able or not to identify themselves as such.

Culture
So what is it that makes a person identify as Goth? Gothic culture is characterized by an attraction to beauty and elegance, romanticism, art, and culture in general; it also often means a preoccupation with themes of death, darkness, the mysterious, magic, mysticism, the supernatural, fantastic nature, mythology, the archaic…
Most subjects that are taboo in 'normal' society and other topics that are only roached carefully outside of the gothic community are freely discussed and debated. Most Goths have realized that fear is only a reaction instilled in us by dogmatic propaganda, and once you realize there is nothing to fear from the topic, what is going to stop you from discussing it?

More than being a mere cultural taste or interest in ‘dark themes’, being Gothic is a state of mind and a deep approval of the dark arts (music, paintings, architecture, movies, poetry, clothing, makeup, etc.) including a strong affinity to dark aesthetics. It is an all-embracing view at the world, at society, at life and culture.


Photos: Collection d'Arnell Andrea (Italy); Cécile Corbel (France).

Going back to older times, Gothic fiction is an 18th century genre of literature that combines supernatural, horror and Romanticism. It is believed to be Horace Walpole who was the pioneer of this writing mode, together with melodrama and parody. It had a great success during the 19th century and Ann Radcliffe, George Eliot, Edgar Allan Poe, Mary Shelley, Howard Phillips Lovecraft, Charles Baudelaire count among the most prominent authors. Dante Alighieri (13th century) is one of the most preferred readings as well.
A relic of the Gothic movie history are the German Expressionist silent films, with Fritz Lang, F.W. Murnau, and Karl Freund as main ambassadors of the gender. Directors and film makers such as Billy Wilder, Otto Preminger, Alfred Hitchcock, Orson Welles, Carol Reed and Michael Curtiz introduced the Expressionist style to crime dramas of the 1940s, expanding Expressionism's influence on modern film making.

Gothics like dark spaces, cemeteries (mainly the ancient architectural styles and imagery) but it doesn’t make them satanic, occult cult members or sect followers. They are basically non-violent and don’t show anti-social behavior in particular. They are likely to have a distaste for authority, to possess above average intelligence, and to be social misfits.
They are often not as interested in drugs as many other subcultures. They have a good ability to express their feelings and believe in romance rather than in one-night stands.
Goths (of all subcategories) do not so much rebel against society but sort of ignore it and try to give shape to their own parallel society.

Many stereotypes of Goths exist these days. It seems everyone has his or her own way to define 'what is Goth'. From the stereotypes based on clothing to music right up to the stereotypes of all goths being satanists or part of some kind of cult. Categorically, all of these are false.

Photos: WGT 2013

Almost everyone in the subculture would probably agree that possessing a Gothic personality is ultimately what makes someone Gothic: individualistic, reflective, artistic, creative, introspective, emotionally focused and driven, sensitive, non-violent, moody.
For people with a gothic personality, their involvement is not merely a rebellious phase, but part of their inner self.

People in the Goth scene all have different musical tastes, follow different religions, have different occupations, hobbies, decoration, and fashion sense.
Goths are hard-core romantics, dreamy realists and cynical idealists. They are free thinkers, refined and sensitive people who do not accept the moral rules of society. Rather Goths tend to listen to what you have to say, and make up their own mind. This kind of free thinking and rejection of dogma often earns rejection in todays society.
Like many other music based subcultures, Goths have faced differing levels of social intolerance due mostly to outward stylistic appearances. But that’s ok for them…

Photos: Gothic fantasy

They find beauty in what others consider dark, while seeking fairness and tenderness in their daily lives. They love all things ancient, while being modern and liberal in their social outlook.
After all Goth is just beauty found in the darker things in life.

Dark fashion
The upcoming of Gothic music was accompanied by the birth of a new fashion that was borrowed from the punk look and given a darker edge.

The Gothic movement incorporates a handful of styles blended together into its own fashion. Elements from Victorian and Edwardian eras, as well as Medieval, Renaissance, pagan, and ethereal fantastic aesthetics, merge along with the industrial technology look typical from the Steampunk scene, the spicy-innocence from Oriental Gothic Lolita (a dark baby-doll look, specially booming in Japan and China), the futuristic post-apocalyptic Cybergoth with its distinctive bright fluorescent colors, the androgyny and burlesque (often with a militaristic touch), and the pinup posing… All that combined by the Gothic romantic refinement, sensitivity, artistic tradition, and taste for beauty inspires the Gothic culture clothing and personal look to create an elaborated and elegant outfit.


The fabrics can consist of velvets, silks, chiffon or lace. Jewellery can be pearls, chokers, crosses, ankhs, silver and precious stones, but never gold. Veiled hats, vintage purses, vampire-inspired bags and backpacks, decorated parasols and umbrellas, stoles and shawls, long retro gloves, bulky boots and shoes, are among the preferred accessories.

That mysterious and fascinating lifestyle has inspired many arts and fashions. Designers such as Alexander McQueen, h.NAOTO, Junya Watanabe, Marko Mitanovski, Gareth Pugh, Ann Demeulemeester, Rei Kawakubo, Salvatore Ferragamo, Rodarte, John Galliano of Christian Dior, Rick Owens, Olivier Theyskens, Alice Auaa and Yohji Yamamoto have dark angels walking down their runways. Chanel, Dolce & Gabbana, Versace, Givenchy, Jean Paul Gaultier, Valentino, also played in some of their designs with the Gothic aesthetics.

Photos: Gothic fashion

Most of the Gothic stereotypes may fit among the Lord look, the self-made dandy or gallant, the aristocrat, the vampire, the Byronic hero, for gentlemen, and the passionate Lady, the fairytale virginal maiden, the super dominatrix, the evil queen, for ladies.

Those who feel like exploring such unconventional world, who want to approach a different way of living, feeling, and enjoying culture have the opportunity to come to Leipzig next year, form the 22nd to the 25th of May, on the 24th edition of the Wave Gotik Treffen.
Nearly 200 bands, plus around 50 musical performances from classical to experimental, not less than 25 parties with national and international DJ’s, record releases, multiple exhibitions, many free entrance museums, cinema screenings…
Leipzig is also an open air must see fashion show, a dark carnival, a peaceful meeting starred by shadowy figures wandering throughout its beautiful city center, sneaking into its monuments and museums, amusing the public transportation, conquering parks and neighborhoods… The show starts three days before the Pentecost Monday each year.


©david xavier 2014 [text & photos]