Artists Explore Strange Powers
Art has always been a part of the supernatural world. Intricate designs and glyphs, carefully rendered talismans, and drawings said to be created (or inspired) by the gods and spirits have all played a part in the history of religion and faith. In the modern era, much of the art world has been separated from the mysterious, luminous, or sacred. Sensing the need for a change, the nonprofit gallery Creative Time in New York’s East Village will present a group show called “Strange Powers” that aims to return to the heady days when art and magic were nearly one and the same.
“The notion that visual art has the power to conjure the invisible, to embody something or someone, to bring back an image from the past or envision a point in the future has been an element of imagemaking since cave painting. “That a number of contemporary urban artists in the U.S. and Europe would find this kind of magical thinking of interest makes sense for our uneasy moment that is marked by rapid change, startling violence and a kind of cultural helplessness. This moment has encouraged timidity and solipsism in contemporary production, but also has sparked a renewed faith in the power of art that can be both bold and affirmative,? states Laura Hoptman. The projects in STRANGE POWERS actively strive to create, register or reveal some kind of transformation in their relationship to visitors and the space around them; many of the artists incorporate the magical directly into their broader practice and/or examine art as incantation.”
Joachim Koester “Magical Mirror of John Dee, 2006″
Show co-organizer Laura Hoptman explains to the New York Times that this show isn’t merely about showing static art with occult themes.
“It’s different from other exhibitions which have shown the art of the occult. This is about art as a transformative object.”
Much of the show is interactive and based on personal experiences with the unseen. Perhaps this will bridge the gap back to a time when those who created art were also those who dealt with gods, spoke to the ancestors, and made magic for the tribe. The show opens on July 19th and runs through September 17th. If you are in the New York area, I wouldn’t pass up the chance to experience the show.
No responses yet
