Zurab Karumidze Libri

A phantasmagorical mixture of religious mysticism and eroticism, bound up with the mythic origins of civilization, and taking in everything from shamanic art to Bach's "Art of the Fugue."

The novel presents two contrasting narratives: one follows Dagny Juel, a beautiful Norwegian poetess and dramatist whose tumultuous life leads her to a foreign land, where she ultimately succumbs to the fantasies of deranged men. Juel, a muse for figures like Edward Munch and August Strindberg, was the 'Queen' of Berlin's bohemia in the 1890s. The other narrative blends religious mysticism with eroticism, exploring the mythic origins of art and politics. This phantasmagoric tale weaves together themes from Shamanic Art to Bach's Art of the Fugue, Gnosticism to Modernist aesthetics, and Magic to Linguistics. Central to the story is the concept of Agape—the Love Feast—a half-religious, half-artistic event. The setting for this intersection of the Love Feast and reality is Tiflis, a city alive with feasting and spirited discussions. Historical figures such as a young Joseph Stalin, his friend Camo, visionary George Gurjieff, Georgian poet Vazha Pshavela, and artist Niko Pirosmani appear alongside fictional characters like Gornahor, a raven-like being from Saturn. Various concepts drawn from Gurjieff's writings further enrich this intricate narrative.