Saturday, April 29, 2006

An Integral Artist?

I have been head down writing my thesis and so my art blog has gone by the wayside. Ooops!

My thesis is about integrating soul and science in education... and I am using Integral Theory as a model to help me see how that might be possible. What is strange is that in the very writing of it I am creating an experience for the reader as artistically as I might be creating a sculpture. I don't want to create something that is cut and dried; but which has many layers, some ambiguity and enables a creative emergence of meaning. I am using pictures, metaphors, poetry and dialogue as well as a narrative and analytical voice. I am even going to include pictures and poetry of my own art as well... because I realise that I have certainly been living my thesis in my art... and maybe the art is part of the whole dialogue.

I have just been writing a very reflective piece where I undo the layers of self and culture to understand what has informed who I am and what I believe... how that influences my teaching and the educational culture that I am in. I found myself sculpting another reclining nude... but rather than smoothing her off I started adding slivers of clay so it seems like she is peeling away... instead of a nude being looked at, she is looking at herself.... deeply, inward. It is strange creating an outer image of such an inward looking process. I am not sure that I manage to convey it, but audience was not on my mind at all as I was doing it. No, because in the process of doing it I was unpeeling myself, putting that emotion and experience into the clay.

Am I doing Integral Art?

According to emrgnc Integral Art holds that:

  • all perspectives are valid,
  • some viewpoints may transcend and include others
  • where you stand is what you see.


Integral art includes both the experiences of artist and reader/audience and each can bring many different eyes to it. Integral art may help in both transformation of the artist and the reader/audience. It may be an expression of transpersonal knowing which pulls the reader into a deeper connection with higher self.

Alex Grey is recognised as an Integral Artist. He recently had an exhibition in NY called Sacred Mirrors, consisting of life size pictures showing ourselves in all our physical, energetic and transpersonal aspects. This puts a whole new meaning to the notion unpeeling the layers.

Just looking at his pictures I found myself pulled to attention, recalling who I am, in the most profound way.

My unpeeling nude does not call me to attention... nor bring out the best in me, nor cause me to transform... I think it is a piece of compassion... a quietness of the process of becoming and disappearing. Is this a feminine aspect of self which the warrior like images of Alex Grey perhaps do not capture?

What is transpersonal for men and what is transpersonal for women? Is it different?

1 Comments:

At 10:10 AM, Blogger Unknown said...

Hey Sue!
It's Sophie Mason here! From 4/5 at Mt Nelson Primary!
Your sculptures are awesome!
Mine is going to be horrible.
Mum says I am a serious person with a vivid imagination.
PLEASE HELLP!
Soph.

 

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