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The Art of the Occult: A Visual Sourcebook for the Modern Mystic (1) (Art in the Margins)

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The occult, in the broadest sense, is a category of esoteric supernatural beliefs and practices which generally fall outside the scope of organized religion and science, encompassing phenomena involving otherworldly agency, such as magic and mysticism and their varied spells. It can also refer to supernatural ideas like extra-sensory perception and parapsychology. The occult also had an influence on the exploration of the supernatural in Renaissance art. Many of the works of the period featured supernatural elements, such as angels, demons, and spirits. These elements were often used to explore the mysteries of the afterlife and to evoke a sense of awe and wonder. It could be argued that I have missed the point - a great deal of art is intrinsically occult and inexplicable to the lay person, a process of creation in which material is alchemically transformed into meaning. Still, our interest should be in artists who deliberatively reflect on this aspect of their work.

Artistic occulture or occult artistry consciously centre the process on physical works (unless we count ritual as performance art) so that is what we should be looking out for. Not art as psychotherapy but art as consciously directed creation where there are 'forces' to be harnessed. Treister does not see herself within this lineage of spirit mediums, instead describing an interest in “areas of investigation currently unexplained by science, some of which may turn out to be differently accepted in future”.The eye of God within a triangle, representing the Holy Trinity, and surrounded by holy light, representing His omniscience. There are particular motifs that artists have turned to, for example, the witch, who, of course, has now been adopted as a feminist figure and appears in the work of artists such as Kiki Smith as a celebration of the outcasts of a patriarchal society. Ancient alphabet used throughout North Europe and prominent in Scandinavia, used in modern times by various religious faiths, such as Asatru. Another example of Satanic and occult-inspired art from this period is the sculpture “The Baphomet” by Eliphas Levi. This sculpture is a representation of the devil, and it is believed to be a symbol of occult power. The sculpture is often used as a symbol of the occult, and it is often associated with Satanism.

Jeanne Jacquemin (1863 – 1938) The Painful and Glorious Crown by Jeanne Jacquemin, 1892, via Tumblr These are fine points but it is not enough to claim that someone who paints witches like Goya is interested in the occult. Rather they are interested in fear or folklore or popular memes or the market. The book does not, for example, include the work of the witch Rosaleen Norton. In the mid-1990s, a new definition of "occultism" was put forth by Wouter Hanegraaff. [37] According to Hanegraaff, the term occultism can be used not only for the nineteenth-century groups which openly self-described using that term but can also be used in reference to "the type of esotericism that they represent". [18] According to Spare, who was prone to embellishing his biography, he also received a commission for a portrait from Adolph Hitler in 1936. The Führer was apparently impressed with Spare’s Self Portrait as Hitler. British journalist Hannen Swaffer recounts that Spare, an ardent anti-Nazi who tried to enlist in 1939 at the age of 53, made a copy of the painting and sent it with a note as a reply “to the man who wanted to master Europe and dominate mankind”: Only from negations can I wholesomely conceive you. For I know of no courage sufficient to stomach your aspirations and ultimates. If you are superman, let me be for ever animal. Classen, Albrecht (2017). "Magic in the Middle Ages and the Early Modern Age: Literature, Science, Religion, Philosophy, Music, and Art. An Introduction". In Classen, Albrecht (ed.). Magic and Magicians in the Middle Ages and the Early Modern Time: The Occult in Pre-Modern Sciences, Medicine, Literature, Religion, and Astrology. Fundamentals of Medieval and Early Modern Culture. Vol.20. Berlin and Boston: De Gruyter. pp.1–108. doi: 10.1515/9783110557725-001. ISBN 9783110556070. ISSN 1864-3396.

Sacred Geometry

The Surrealists also used the occult to explore the idea of the “marvelous,” which was a concept that was central to the movement. The marvelous was a state of being in which the boundaries between reality and fantasy were blurred. The Surrealists believed that the occult could provide them with a way to access this state of being and explore the mysteries of the universe.

Southern Mesopotamian "Demon Bowl" with incantation c. 200-600 AD. The bowl was used as an early form of protective Magic from dark entities. Exhibit in the Royal Ontario Museum, Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Image via wikipedia. You can notice the early circular spell incantation or "Magic Circle". A Magic Circle is formed to create a sacred space or in the Demon bowl's case a cunning trap, in even earlier history the Sumerians called this practice Zisurrû , meaning “magic circle drawn with flour" used to ensnare evil forces. The Arts and Crafts movement was another influential artistic movement of the Victorian era. This movement was heavily influenced by the writings of William Morris and John Ruskin, who both believed in the spiritual power of art. The Arts and Crafts movement was characterized by its use of symbolism and spiritual imagery, often inspired by the occult. Kandinsky is perhaps the first artist that comes to mind when we think about abstract art. We now know that he was definitely not the first abstract artist, but nevertheless, he became one of the leading theoreticians of abstract art and spirituality. His most widely known book, Concerning the Spiritual in Art, was an elaborate study of the connections between line, color, emotion, and the spiritual state of an artist. Kandinsky further disconnected art from tangible reality, placing it within its own realm. Hilma af Klint’s most famous project was called Paintings for the Temple. Almost two hundred paintings were supposed to hang in a spiral-structured building that she designed. However, she never got to build it. In the end, her wish came true in a way when her works were exhibited in the famous spiral-shaped temple-like building of the Guggenheim Museum in New York in 2018. This iconographical form of the Hindu Trimurti god Visnu, whose body represents the structure and form of the entire cosmos. The different domains of Hell are represented by the legs and feet, with the Earthly and harmonious Heavenly realms represented by the upper stomach and chest, arms, and head; the navel represents the Unmanifest realm that is connected with pure sound and vibration, and absolute silence, which connects everything together.Odilon Redon, Spirit of the Forest, 1890, charcoal, chalk and gouache, 46 × 29 cm. Courtesy: Wikimedia Commons Victoria Jenkins: I think the greatest canonical myth these artworks undermine is that there has been a turn away from magic, mysticism, and the supernatural as a result of modernism. While this book includes many artworks predating this period, it is clear to see this lineage continues with artists throughout the 20th century into the present day. Artists continue to seek magical influence as a source of creative inspiration, to imagine new possibilities and to enact change. Rather than being discredited as foolish superstition, these beliefs offer potent repositories for knowledge and generate new narratives outside established powers. Jodorowsky's films have had a major influence on the surrealist and avant-garde movements, and he is considered a pioneer of the midnight movie genre. Some of his most famous films include "El Topo" (1970), "The Holy Mountain" (1973), and "Santa Sangre" (1989). In addition to his work in film, Jodorowsky has also been a successful author, publishing numerous books on spiritual, occult and philosophical subjects. Sacred Geometry

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