Corne Pretorius’ video for “Vuur en Vlam” is a masterful representation of the myriad of emotions all of us are experiencing during this confusing time.
Penned by Francois van Coke when whispers of a lockdown were growing louder with each passing minute, the song combines electro melodies with Texan-blues tinged folk, as Pretorius tries not to lose hope in a time where nothing really makes sense.
With Johan Nel (known for his work with Fokofpolisiekar back in the day) at the helm the video is a collection of vaguely connected snapshots that, together, capture the limbo we’re all in. Shots of deserted streets and animals taking advantage of the peace are contrasted with claustrophobic visuals of people trapped inside their homes, trying to stay sane as they wait for some kind of clarity.
Pretorius makes the odd grey-scale appearance – and the look in his eyes says it all. There’s boredom and frustration to the point where you think it’s only a matter of time before he snaps.
Lockdown has us all in limbo. Days of the week blur into one and time itself seems to have lost all purpose and these ideas and feelings are all captured in a wonderfully subtle way.
