Lukhanyo Mdingi Presents Desire: A Film By Adriaan Louw With Music By Desire Marea

In this richly saturated masterpiece shot & directed by Adriaan Louw, we are invited into Desire Marea’s movement through their space – from the street side, to the piano – coaxed gently throughout by their voice as they tell the story of realising their musical gift. Desire is understood in this film as more than a muse – but as a being of magnitude in the expression of their deeply divine essence. A rarity to witness the fullness of their spirit – body, mind and soul – in all that they do.Desire evokes, and channels, aspects of themself that exist beyond the binding density of material existence, and thus with the emanation of their vocal range composed together with the effervescing light in their eyes – moves tenderly and telling through this world as simultaneously of this earth, and yet wholly otherworldly. This is multi-dimensional expression of essence; the commitment that Desire has undertaken to authentically and always be themselves; the totality, the nuances and the ever-changing and evolving qualities too. The spaciousness of Self that Desire shows us through this film calls into question the limitations we have imposed on ourselves – and these limitations, we too may draw out of our bodies and offer back to the ground beneath us – to be transmuted, thus allowing us to be transporting into dream-scapes in the waking moments of our lives. Our lives, as Desire shows us, is an art – the art of living, and thus with any creative pursuit; we give it our all, and hold no aspect back for the canvas’ ultimate realisation – that within the context of a “self”, there is rather converging threads that stretch beyond the singular identity.

If we are to speak in spiritual terms, Desire commands their physical body as a space within which the full, multiplicity and range of their spirit can exist. Is this not the total pursuit of physical incarnation, to experience a sensory reality such as the earth beneath ones feet and the fragrance of the forest – yet to do so fully embodied, and ever-changing in unison with Nature? We see this expressed in Desire’s movements in latter frames – as they reveal an unbridled evocation of dance among languid grass, grazing against their body in unison with the music. Running through fields – and moving back into the city – Desire shows themselves as existing in all the parallels of contradiction that this world is in. From the decay, to the joy – to be at peace among the soil and the concrete simultaneously. This is mastery; even, enlightenment.

Perhaps most distilled, is Desire circumventing an arrangement of natural objects in the form of a shrine – a representation of the bush Desire refers to that they often visit, which serves as a portal for young men to explore and express their sexuality in their community. “It was so ironic to me, that these people who society had deemed so unnatural, would go into nature to fully realise themselves. Water is also a portal, a femme portal. I go to a waterfall to wash my face and I know I am connecting with another side, and a completely different existence.” We are in awe of the strength and spirit with which Desire enlivens the Coutts Collection – furthering our homage to our beloved Nicholas Coutts, who himself left no part un-expressed in the translation of essence – but above all, we are honoured to share the same nexus point of existence as Desire. To be here, now, with them.