Don’t just say ‘choir’ to the Polish group of female singers Chór Kobiet.  For her project Marta Górnica gathered women of various ages and a diversity of occupations. Together they form a brushed-up version of the classical choir of the ancient Greek tragedy.

Górnica’s Magnificat is a collage of cultural texts : the choir flawlessly mixes fragments from the Bible with recipes or quotes from contemporary and classical authors. Euripides flashes past computer sounds, and religious music merges with the rhythm and the tone of pop. From all these samples the Holy Virgin Mary appears like a vision.

With Magnificat (ode to Mary) Chór Kobiet makes a statement about the place of woman in the power system of the church. Yet, a statement that can do without words, either religious or secular. Call it post-opera. Call it a polyphonous hymn grafted onto pop culture. Marta Górnica : “The women’s choir will shout, whisper and sing. It will handle words like music. It will turn language into voice.”