Interview with Jana Komaritsa from Darkrad
I’ve known Jana for many years. She has always been a creative, artistic soul. DARKRAD is her dark-industrial project. Jana Komaritsa, multi-disciplinary artist, known as JanaDark, is the sole member and through her art she channels her deepest emotions, thoughts, and inner reflections constructing eerie and surreal realms through music, video, performances, and various art forms.
Her work delves into the concept of the “absence of presence”, amplified by her vivid imagination, exploring the enigmatic and compelling unknown - a force that both terrifies and entices us. DARKRAD’s themes revolve around suppressed fears, intense pain, twisted sexuality, inner psychosis, metaphysical phenomena, and profound, penetrating emotions. I took a chance to ask her a few questions about the meaning of art in her life, live shows in Europe and the US, the emotions involved in the creative process and more…
Reflections of Darkness [RoD]: Your primary focus seems to be on dark industrial music. Could you share what initially drew you to this particular genre?
Jana: I started as DJ and show promoter before I ventured into the territory of my own music. I have been always drawn to the electronic sound, darker atmosphere and bands like DEPECHE MODE, THE CURE, KRAFTWERK has paved the way for me into the versatile pool of genres. For me, the “industrial” music and alike definitely expands beyond just music - it is comprised of a myriad of cultural components, with a certain sense of contradiction or rebellion, a refusal to succumb to ordinariness of life, and superficiality, but rather to expand the profound magnitude of experience. It is attractive for me, as it resonates much with my own life philosophies and approach. My interests in this music also transform over time, and through different life waves, where I can find the peaks of disturbing darkness or the comfort of solace.
RoD: If you had to choose one release that best represents your work, which would it be, and what makes it stand out in your eyes?
Jana: All the releases represent special periods in my life, mostly painted in darker colours, during the times of adversity, which serve as kind of impetus for me. That is when I can channel my frustrations through music and art. Some of the tracks were recorded during the spikes of psychosis, depression, through tears of pain and misery… So it’s hard to choose one release, because they all have special meaning for me and reflect on certain important periods of my life. For example, I maybe can talk a little about the album Little Black World, which was my second album and it was recorded when I just moved to the USA and had some difficult times while readjusting my life to quite a new environment and lifestyle, as I lived in a quite remote area of the USA at that time. In short, this album has a name that speaks for itself. Metaphorically speaking, I felt, I was being enclosed, almost trapped, in a small space, being limited or suppressed, suffocating…
RoD: Your project appears to be quite multidisciplinary, extending beyond just music. Could you elaborate on the visual and sensory elements of your live performances?
Jana: I have always regarded DARKRAD as a multidisciplinary project, which is not only music, but also combines visuals, sensory experience and performance in one synthesis, one atmosphere, where all senses are involved. I film and create my own videos matching the mood of my show, incorporate theatrical elements and recently I often create paintings during my shows, mostly depicting dark gloomy landscapes. I interact with the audience; involve them in my performance, sometimes stretching the painting from the canvas and myself towards the people. I invite the audience to connect with myself, to look into my innermost thoughts and desires, to touch and feel the different facets of my soul though all these experiences. I am happy to hear when my music and art can inspire to embrace someone’s feelings and complexities. For myself being on stage is always an intriguing, deep and intense experience, often cathartic. It is a way for me to set myself free.
RoD: In a broader sense, how do you perceive the role of art in your life? How does your personal philosophy manifest itself in your creative endeavours?
Jana: I am an emotional, excitable and dreamy person. I perceive life through the lens of creativity and lyricism. It is a life-long journey of self-discovery, defining my existence though artistic vision. I am thirsty for life. I have this passionate lust for deep experiences and strong feelings. I reject the superficial and I’m ready to open myself more towards the depth, the true passion, the unknown and wondrous. I often let my emotions take control and even though it sometimes brings me pain and misery at the end, I never regret the experience, the feeling of being alive. Art enables me to explore the various facets of my inner and the outer worlds, to unshackle myself from the ordinary everyday life, to blur the boundaries between reality and dreamland.
RoD: Does your art serve as a reflection of your response to the contemporary world? If so, how do you view this juxtaposition?
Jana: We have to navigate through the complexities and struggles of this world, sometimes not without a damage for ourselves. I try to keep the positive outlook and surround myself with beauty and wonderful people, with who together we can, hopefully, make this world a little bit better. During the times of turbulence, uncertainty and distress, I try to look through the cracks of the dark veil, to find the glimpse of light and follow this beacon.
RoD: What emotions or themes are you aiming to convey through your artistic expressions?
Jana: My creativity is reflecting my personal feelings, emotions, events from my life… I can say that my concept is - to tell quite simple things, operating with straightforward powerful symbols. I talk about love, fear, pain, passion, suffering, lust... mostly from the darker realms and labyrinths of human inner and sub consciousness… I’m not afraid to feel intensively, to embrace both joy and sorrow, and this is what I convey through my artistry too. In my art I am vulnerable, I am exposed, my wounds are open. But I am not afraid, because it is through this exploration I can blossom into my real self.
RoD: You've had experience working both in Europe and the US. In what ways do you find these two environments different, and how do they either enrich or present challenges to you as an artist?
Jana: These are both similar and different environments and sometimes they don’t interconnect with each other. When I started in the scene, it was of course, Europe and I got used to European festivals and events. When I moved to the USA I found the similar music scene there somewhat smaller and more dispersed, which is of course logical to some extent. I played many shows in the US, many small and intimate types of shows, where you all of a sudden can find a unique crowd and unusual experience. I’ve also noticed that on many occasions there was not much knowledge there of what happens in Europe, like about such festivals like WGT. One can speak of certain secularity. In the USA I have been deeply involved in the art scene as well, especially Minneapolis art scene, which in my opinion is a true gem in itself, with a mind-blowing amount of amazing artists and happenings, including from the “darker” realms. Overall, my experiences on both continents definitely did enrich me, as I was able to connect with a colossal amount of cultures, perspectives and approaches both in life and in arts.
RoD: You’ve performed at various events, such as WGT, Wroclaw Industrial Festival, Maschinenfest, and Elektroanschlag. Do you have a particular favourite scene among these, and how have you observed these events evolving or changing since we first attended them back in the early 2000s?
Jana: All these scenes and related festivals offer their unique experiences. I embrace a big variety of music and events and find my interest everywhere. I love the big and scattered festivals like WGT with its own atmosphere and I love the intimate and cosy events as well. I love the EBM / Electro events just in the same way I love Noise / Industrial type of events. I have a broad interest in music and culture, and a strong sense of curiosity. As for evolvement, I think the big festivals that are still around don’t change much but that’s the thing about them - the audience is expecting the certain kind of experience and stepping too far away might be too risky. I like when a festival offers varying line-ups and sometimes taking risks and offering something different and refreshing. But I like that the atmosphere and the overall direction is maintained too.
RoD: Are you planning to perform anywhere this year? What are your plans for the upcoming months?
Jana: The only show I plan to do this year for now is playing as part of THIS MORN’ OMINA at BIM Fest in Belgium in December. It’s often difficult for me to plan shows because of my demanding full time job. Next year I have a few shows planned…France, Spain, Germany, Lithuania… some more stuff is coming and I’m very excited about it. Now I work on a new project actually, which is a different kind of music than DARKRAD, more danceable and from the realms of minimal and darkwave. But more to come… I also work on my next third book but it might take a little while. I would like to kick-start the new music project next year and see from there.
RoD: Thank you very much for your time. Looking forward to hearing your insights and catching up!
Jana: Thank you very much and it was my pleasure!
All Pictures by Julia Timohina
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