Synopsis

A slow, hypnotic procession through an abandoned church accompanies the stark lute-and-guitar piece. Religious imagery, worn architectural details, and shadowy figures appear in carefully measured compositions as the video follows the visual stages of a solar eclipse. The movement from obscurity toward illumination gives the piece a ritualistic, apocalyptic atmosphere. Rather than presenting a conventional narrative, the video creates a meditation on cycles, union, prophecy, and spiritual transformation, with the empty church serving as both a sacred ruin and a symbolic threshold.

Factoids & Trivia

• "Etimasia" comes from a Greek term associated with the ancient image of an empty throne. The symbol was first linked to the dwelling place of the gods and was later adapted into Christian imagery connected with the Second Coming and messianic prophecy.

• The video was released in November 2013 as a visual companion to "Etimasia," a track from the 2012 album "The Mystery of Heaven" on Sacred Bones Records. The album version runs for approximately 3 minutes and 12 seconds.

• The production took place inside an abandoned church with no heat. Behind the altar, a concealed entrance led to the former priest's quarters, which were used as holding space for the cast and crew.

• The church stood in Bushwick and was later demolished as the site was redeveloped into high-rise condominiums. The shoot therefore documented the building shortly before its disappearance.

• The visual concept was shaped around the phases of an annular solar eclipse, linking the changing light to the video's themes of repetition, conjunction, and ominous spiritual expectation.

• Jozef van Wissem performed with a handmade black lute described as the only instrument of its kind in existence. Its unusual appearance reinforced the video's sense of historical distance and ritual.

• The piece was also presented through live projections at MoMA PS1's Sunday Sessions during the release period for "The Mystery of Heaven."