Chicago's VARAHA have teamed up with videographer, David Leep, to create a haunting cinematic view of the city during the Covid-19 lockdown, titled Karantinas. The footage was shot by David around the deserted streets of Chicago and set to the soundtrack of VARAHA's track Disbelief, taken from their 2019 album, A Passage For Lost Years - and was featured today on NBC.
As well as being a striking visual representation of current day downtown Chicago, the project aims to draw attention to the precarious financial circumstances of both artists and 'behind the scenes' workers that contribute to the thriving artistic community in the city.
The Chicago Reader has already compiled a list of ways to support various entities of the Chicago arts scene which can be viewed HERE. The Reader commented:
“Precautions intended to slow the spread of COVID-19 have resulted in the widespread cancellation of concerts and the temporary closure of the great majority of Chicago's music venues. Many people working in live music—artists, road crews, promoters, venue staff—are losing most or all of their income during this crisis."
Support for The Chicago Reader itself can be shown HERE.
David Leep is a Chicago videographer who used this time of uncertainty and loss to document the city itself and chose the music from long time collaborators VARAHA as a backdrop. Leep picked Disbelief because the title exemplifies the current mood of the city. Everyone stands in disbelief as they see their once rampant, energetic and diverse city become a barren landscape of cement, asphalt, architecture and deserted monuments.
VARAHA's Fabio Brienza told NBC:
“Let’s get creative and let’s do something that could resonate with people. I think that despite the suffering, beautiful things are happening. And when this mess is over, we will never ever ever take anything for granted”:
More on David Leep:
https://www.instagram.com/davidleep/