‘Circles’ … a music video by Martin Cenkl which is maybe trying a debate on communist remnants which resist until present in everyday life of cities in post-communist areas (Czech Republic specifically). Old industrial buildings and blocks of many flats oppress on the viewers’ emotional state as the lyrics talk about one’s personal dreams and goals and their hold-back by the ‘genius loci’ of places where communism once nested.
Though it fails to visually-artistically deliver all the declared alleged topics of the director’s subjective vision on living in the industrial uptown zones, the video does manage to transmit the depressive feeling of those attempting to overcome the ‘residual moods’ of a past system that still have the power to hinder individuals to pursue their goals. While trying to achieve their dreams somebody find themselves going in circles and ending up where they’ve begun. It’s the genius loci of the places that imprisons them like in a maze.
Though it could have been better ‘capitalized’ the concept of ‘genius loci’ (used by Martin Cenkl himself when referring to portraying the specific emanation of a place. In antic Roman culture Genius loci referring to his video) is obviously the major debate the director is counting on.
Genius loci is what one would see as an expression used to describe the protective spirit of a place. This is what makes ‘Circles’ an interesting video.
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