Storm De Hirsch

Dedicated to all the magic makers of the world who weave a talisman for man’s rebirth in his house of breath. –S. D. H.Read More »

Synopsis:
Peyote Queen is the second and best known part of de Hirsch’s trilogy, The Color of Ritual, the Color of Thought. It is preceded by Divinations (1964) and Shaman (1966). The film’s imagery is abstract, consisting of both live action footage and animated sequences which de Hirsch created by painting and etching directly on the 16mm film stock. Split screens, kaleidoscopic lenses, and abstract animations are used to create a psychedelic effect. De Hirsch had a background in painting (she published an interview of the abstract expressionist painter, Willem de Kooning, in 1955), and her films of this period have been described as “painterly.” The soundtrack consists of African drumming and singing interspersed with American pop music.Read More »