Rooted in Magic is a documentary project exploring contemporary Western witchcraft. Through her travels across Europe and the United States, Elisa Maenhout offers an intimate look into the beliefs, rituals, and daily lives of modern witches, and considers how they relate to the legacy of historical witch trials.
Between the 15th and 18th centuries, witch hunts in Europe and colonial America were fueled by fear, superstition, and social tensions. Authorities often used accusations to scapegoat marginalized people, mostly women. Torture, forced confessions, and executions followed, with an estimated 40,000 to 60,000 victims. Rooted in Magic examines how today’s witches engage with this history while redefining what it means to be a witch today. Once a symbol of fear, the witch has become a figure of resistance against patriarchal norms. Though not all witches are women, femininity remains central to modern witchcraft, which has grown alongside feminist movements.
In this work, the witch appears both proud and vulnerable, connected to freedom, spirituality, community, and nature. The series invites reflection on discrimination, gender equality, ecology, and the value of the natural world, while exploring how ritual and magic can offer a sense of meaning and belonging in contemporary life.
ROOTED IN MAGIC (ONGOING)
