S. K. Thoth
Encyclopedia
S. K. Thoth is a New York
-based "prayformance" artist
known for his eclectic mix of violin
, voice
, and dance
performance who was the subject of the Academy Award winning documentary Thoth
. Thoth calls his work "prayformance", emphasizing a spiritual dimension. His motto from his website is "I heal through divine prayformance". He sings in a language he himself created, the language of the Festad, a mythical people and land in his "Solopera", his one-man opera
.
around 1956. His father was a Russian Jew, and his mother was from Barbados
. As a mixed race
child, prejudice was a problem for the young man. These experiences were a contributing factor in his creation of a fantasy world later in life as a coping mechanism, complete with its own world and mythology.
His mother was the first African-American tympani player for the New York Philharmonic
, and Thoth was exposed to classical music at a young age. His mother's connections allowed him access to education from professional musicians, among them Harry Glickman
, longtime violinist with the NBC Orchestra. Kaufman holds a degree in comparative literature from San Francisco State University
.
, an ancient Egypt
ian deity
because he perceived Egypt to historically be "the center for mixed races". Thoth invented his own world, the Festad, from which his solopera The Herma: The Life and Land of Nular-In is taken. Thoth began prayforming this one man opera in San Francisco, and then New York.
.
Thoth auditioned for the new summer reality show America's Got Talent
with no success.
and Lynn Appelle won an Academy Award in 2002 for Best Documentary Short Subject for chronicling Thoth's life and public performances in New York City.
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
-based "prayformance" artist
Performance art
In art, performance art is a performance presented to an audience, traditionally interdisciplinary. Performance may be either scripted or unscripted, random or carefully orchestrated; spontaneous or otherwise carefully planned with or without audience participation. The performance can be live or...
known for his eclectic mix of violin
Violin
The violin is a string instrument, usually with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. It is the smallest, highest-pitched member of the violin family of string instruments, which includes the viola and cello....
, voice
Voice
Voice may refer to:* Human voice* Voice control or voice activation* Writer's voice* Voice acting* Voice vote* Voice message-In film:* Voice , a 2005 South Korean film* The Voice , a 2010 Turkish horror film directed by Ümit Ünal...
, and dance
Dance
Dance is an art form that generally refers to movement of the body, usually rhythmic and to music, used as a form of expression, social interaction or presented in a spiritual or performance setting....
performance who was the subject of the Academy Award winning documentary Thoth
Thoth (film)
Thoth is a documentary film by Sarah Kernochan and Lynn Appelle about the life of New York-based street performer S. K. Thoth. The film won the Academy Award for Best Documentary Short Subject in 2002....
. Thoth calls his work "prayformance", emphasizing a spiritual dimension. His motto from his website is "I heal through divine prayformance". He sings in a language he himself created, the language of the Festad, a mythical people and land in his "Solopera", his one-man opera
Opera
Opera is an art form in which singers and musicians perform a dramatic work combining text and musical score, usually in a theatrical setting. Opera incorporates many of the elements of spoken theatre, such as acting, scenery, and costumes and sometimes includes dance...
.
Early life
Thoth was born Stephen Kaufman in New York CityNew York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
around 1956. His father was a Russian Jew, and his mother was from Barbados
Barbados
Barbados is an island country in the Lesser Antilles. It is in length and as much as in width, amounting to . It is situated in the western area of the North Atlantic and 100 kilometres east of the Windward Islands and the Caribbean Sea; therein, it is about east of the islands of Saint...
. As a mixed race
Mulatto
Mulatto denotes a person with one white parent and one black parent, or more broadly, a person of mixed black and white ancestry. Contemporary usage of the term varies greatly, and the broader sense of the term makes its application rather subjective, as not all people of mixed white and black...
child, prejudice was a problem for the young man. These experiences were a contributing factor in his creation of a fantasy world later in life as a coping mechanism, complete with its own world and mythology.
His mother was the first African-American tympani player for the New York Philharmonic
New York Philharmonic
The New York Philharmonic is a symphony orchestra based in New York City in the United States. It is one of the American orchestras commonly referred to as the "Big Five"...
, and Thoth was exposed to classical music at a young age. His mother's connections allowed him access to education from professional musicians, among them Harry Glickman
Harry Glickman
Harry Glickman is a retired journalist, promoter, and sports executive. He was one of the founders of the Portland Trail Blazers, and was the team's president from 1987 to 1994.-Early career:...
, longtime violinist with the NBC Orchestra. Kaufman holds a degree in comparative literature from San Francisco State University
San Francisco State University
San Francisco State University is a public university located in San Francisco, California. As part of the 23-campus California State University system, the university offers over 100 areas of study from nine academic colleges...
.
Inventing Thoth
Kaufman chose the name of ThothThoth
Thoth was considered one of the more important deities of the Egyptian pantheon. In art, he was often depicted as a man with the head of an ibis or a baboon, animals sacred to him. His feminine counterpart was Seshat...
, an ancient Egypt
Ancient Egypt
Ancient Egypt was an ancient civilization of Northeastern Africa, concentrated along the lower reaches of the Nile River in what is now the modern country of Egypt. Egyptian civilization coalesced around 3150 BC with the political unification of Upper and Lower Egypt under the first pharaoh...
ian deity
Deity
A deity is a recognized preternatural or supernatural immortal being, who may be thought of as holy, divine, or sacred, held in high regard, and respected by believers....
because he perceived Egypt to historically be "the center for mixed races". Thoth invented his own world, the Festad, from which his solopera The Herma: The Life and Land of Nular-In is taken. Thoth began prayforming this one man opera in San Francisco, and then New York.
Performance Style
Thoth's unique manner of street performance involves playing his violin while singing in his unique language, and dancing, with various chimes and bells attached to his costume providing percussion for the performance. He has called this form of entertainment a "Prayformance" because it is a prayer as well as a performance, together. Thoth is famous for prayforming in a gold loinclothLoincloth
A loincloth is a one-piece male garment, sometimes kept in place by a belt, which covers the genitals and, at least partially, the buttocks.-History and types:Loincloths are being and have been worn:*in societies where no other clothing is needed or wanted...
.
Thoth auditioned for the new summer reality show America's Got Talent
America's Got Talent
America's Got Talent is an American reality television series on the NBC television network, and part of the global British Got Talent franchise. It is a talent show that features singers, dancers, magicians, comedians, and other performers of all ages competing for the advertised top prize of...
with no success.
Documentary and Academy Award
Documentary filmmakers Sarah KernochanSarah Kernochan
Sarah Kernochan is a documentarian, film director, screenwriter and producer from the United States.After graduating in 1965 from Rosemary Hall , where she was a classmate of Glenn Close, and in 1968 from Sarah Lawrence College, she worked as a ghostwriter for The Village Voice for about a year...
and Lynn Appelle won an Academy Award in 2002 for Best Documentary Short Subject for chronicling Thoth's life and public performances in New York City.
Latest News
Thoth will be teaming with Slovakian rapper MC Dav on an album called Slovakian Weed BumbletasticamagoriayoExternal links
- Thoth's official website
- Glide Magazine: S.K. Thoth - Prayformer
- A Loin In Winter: Article on Thoth in Metroactive
- http://www.sarahkernochan.com/documentaries/index.htmlInformation about Thoth from Sarah Kernochan, co-producer of the Oscar-winning short film ThothThoth (film)Thoth is a documentary film by Sarah Kernochan and Lynn Appelle about the life of New York-based street performer S. K. Thoth. The film won the Academy Award for Best Documentary Short Subject in 2002....
] - The Village Voice: Thoth In Central Park
- Everything.com profile of Thoth
- It's Thoth luck for Central Park fixture arrested in crackdown on musicians