A Chat with Forest Nui Cobalt

Interview by: Mystikka Jade

MEET FOREST NUI COBALT: She’s an intriguing Los Angeles based psychic, metaphysical teacher, writer, dancer and performance artist. Forest has tremendous creative style which is evident in everything from her work and projects down to her clothes and jewelry. Get to know her a bit via the following interview, and if you are in the Los Angeles area, feel free to stop by the Psychic Eye in Sherman Oaks to get a reading or attend one of her classes.

Forest, in addition to being an established psychic, you’re also a performance artist with a masters degree in dance. What draws you to the art of dance? What kind of gigs have you worked in the past?

I have never not danced. The relationship I have with music is a deeply primal one. The old cliche holds true: it really is like a passionate love affair. I am compelled to move when influenced by sound. In the beginning, it was classical and romantic era music, mostly Tchaikovsky. Through the 80s it was New Wave, Synthpop and experimental electronic music. Now, it’s Gothic and Industrial.

One of the more memorable projects of the last few years was a “vertical dance” I did for 3 hours on a 10′ x 10′ metal spiderweb for a Halloween Ball at the Avalon.

You are currently performing with the interesting and groundbreaking Moodorgan Project. Please tell us a bit about this project, including its philosophy and aim?

I’ve performed in a rather diverse range of contexts, from formal concerts at The Kennedy Center in Washington DC to go-go boxes at Bar Sinister in Hollywood.

Moodorgan Project is the convergence of artistic aims between myself and my creative partner, Peter. He is one of the finest composers I’ve ever encountered and we have a uniquely symbiotic creative chemistry. We found, early on, that each of us was inspired to support, integrate and develop the work of the other. His sound breathed life into my movement. My vision aroused his spirit of invention. We are a galvanized circuit.

Peter wrote the following in our Moodorgan Project Manifesto: “What is involved in this process, at its core, is beyond the realm of rational discussion – and while logical tools such as software may be effectively employed in the process – we are concerned with the doing – the process of creating art, music, dance.

We acknowledge our influences: the futurist, surrealist, and dada movements, alchemy, cyberpunk and hacker culture, film noir and expressionist cinema, gothic and steampunk authors – but do not seek to imitate.

We seek community, like-minded others, those who value performance and participation and self-expression; we find ourselves at home in the Los Angeles goth/industrial scene, and the often-connected fetish and Black Rock City cultures.”