So I'm writing a paper...

[ChromeLife]

In it I am trying to relate Renassance high magic to modern art making. Why can't I pick easy topics? Good question. Anyway, seeing as how many people here are artists, and from observation is seems most of you have some intrest in things occult, what are your thoughts on this? I am going at it with the idea that (in my opinion.. and its a damn good one.) art's purpose is to explore the essence of idea, the truth or lack of truth in idea, or situation or whatever, and seeks to explore the great mysteries of existance. I originally got the idea for the paper when reading some texts and seeing that Heinrich Agrippa's definition of high magic from De Occulta Philosophia was very similar to my definition for art. I chose then to try to show how high magical thought is relevant in artmaking.

Like I said.. is very hard. Any thoughts will be much appreciated!

 

[lizard]

can you tie alchemy into that? at least, compared to "magik", alchemy was an actual attempt at science, even if its goal was unachievable.

 

[xfer]

post when finished!

 

[ChromeLife]

The problem with that is that I dont really think art has anything to do with science. So using alchemy would prolly not work. I got the paper done it was just a bit short. Hopefully the professor respects the fact that I tried to do something different as opposed to regurgitating information about the Philosophers Stone.

 

[ChromeLife]

Note : I feel sorta weird about this.. I am not a very good paper writer, and this one has a ton of holes in it... so dont be mean

Art making is a process that varies greatly from artist to artist. The way two separate artists approach the discipline can be near opposites, yet they share the common goal of making a comment on life. In such an ambitious undertaking a way of thinking that moves beyond science and general social critique is sometimes needed. High magic, a form of thought more intellectual and lofty than normal magic, is a mystic way of trying to discover the answers to the great truths in all areas of life. This search for truth unites artists and high magicians, and makes magical thought relevant in modern art making.

A question that must be answered in order to proceed with this idea of high magic being a metaphor for art is simply, “What is art?” It is easy to oversimplify this answer by stating that art is a commercial product, or simply the product of technical ability in image making. If this was the case then it seems more likely that commercial art would be the only form of art left in modern society. Art has been around as long as human cultures have existed, and it seems unlikely that a practice would have that kind of longevity if it were baseless. Technical ability in art making is only important if it is necessary for the purpose of the work. By this reasoning technical ability alone certainly cannot encompass everything that art is. Many would argue that art is emotional expression, way of showing an artist’s feelings and bringing the viewer to an understanding of the artist’s situation. This is far to simplistic a way to explain a many faceted process. Art can and has commented on many things in humanities span, and it has not been limited to the emotional output of its creators. That is not to say that art that expresses emotion is not art. Feeling is most certainly a relevant topic, and one might even say that most art does carry with it the artist’s feelings, but an artist could avoid this all together and still make art.

Though all of these things above are a part of art, they are not in and of themselves its definition. Art is the process by which the artist attempts to gain an understanding of the truth, or lack of truth in a situation or idea by a medium that the artist deems is necessary to explore the truth as well as possible. The artist uses skills learned in order to produce a work, which explore the chosen idea. This definition may seem a bit convoluted, but it needs to be in order to encompass the entirety of the practice of art. This definition also may seem a bit lofty in its goals, this though is why art making is still practiced in society, and always will be. Art can comment on what may be seen as base parts of existence, ideas that may be very earthbound. Topics such as addiction can be explored in art at a very human level. An example of this would be creating a body of work that tried to get the viewer to feel an addiction, or understand the process of addiction. One could also use art to try and understand the idea of addiction, in its most lofty form. This work could question what addiction is, what its place is in existence. This work would explore the great mysteries of addiction, perhaps suggesting solutions, or ideas as to the answers to these mysteries, or perhaps simply exploring a lack of knowledge in hopes to uncover more truth for the viewer. Art could perhaps be seen as a vehicle for inspiration, and a way to break out of existence in order to understand it from a new point of view. Art can explore ideas further than science, simply because its rules are not binding in an earthly way. Its target is mystery, though it certainly can be used to explore the mysterious qualities of the mundane.

The high magic of the Renaissance was a way of practicing magic that was adopted by intellectuals; high magic’s concerns where of a higher magnitude that low magic, seeking to understand the great mysteries of nature and life. Heinrich Cornelius Agrippa in his De Occulta Philosophia Libri Tres gave the definition of high magic as

“A faculty of wonderful power, full of most high mysteries. It contains the most profound contemplation of things, which are most secret, together with their nature, power, quality, substance and virtues, and the knowledge of the whole of nature. It instructs us in the way things differ and agree with each other and thus it produces wonderful effects by applying the virtues of one thing to another and thus uniting them. It also joins and knits firmly together compatible inferior objects by means of the powers and virtues of superior bodies. This is the most perfect and principal branch of knowledge, a sacred and more lofty kind of philosophy, and the most absolute perfection of every most excellent philosophy.”(Maxwell-Stuart 1999, p116)

As is obvious from this definition, high magic was after a certain level of knowledge that then current forms of thought could not gain. It accepted and attempted to root out and discover the great mysteries of existence in a way that seems part research and part imagination. In this way it was not limited by anything but the human imagination. Also obvious from the definition above was the idea the high magic had the ability to have not just real, but profound effects. These effects could be reached by studying skills over time, which allow the magus to understand and manipulate the world. It is in this almost abstract exploration of all existence that high magic really collides with art. (Ankarloo, Ch.3)

To apply high magic to art, one has to see the similarities in their goals. High magic attempted to try to explain the mysteries of life, accepting that there where secret qualities to existence. It used its principals to approach ideas that where more lofty that low magic, and sought answers that might be unable to be comprehended by their mysterious nature. The goal of art is almost identical, to explore the truth or lack of truth in existence. They of coarse vary in medium and approach to learning, but share the same fundamental room for imagination and lofty thought. This sense of wonder is what makes art, and magical thought useful today. (Ankarloo, Ch. 3)

With the domination of science in modern reasoning, it is easy for humanity to lose its ability to wonder in a constructive and thoughtful way. This artistic/magical way of thought is a way for humanity to avoid the constraints of reality, and explore the essence of life, the truth of situation. Though surely art can comment on reality, and on faculties of humanity that might be viewed as more mundane, it is the ability to go beyond, and explore mystery, and imagination that makes it useful. One could even argue that the truths and thoughts uncovered in magical and artistic thought are more useful in the context of simple human existence than the ideas that spring from science. This is because the truths that art and magic explore are the all encompassing basic truth of and idea, as opposed to the tangible physical characteristics of that idea. It even can explore ideas that science cannot touch. Science for instance can only approach the idea of god in such a way that it states that it does or does not exist, and how it functions in physically measurable ways. Art and magic can use their tools to explore the idea of god, the purpose, the function, and the innate qualities intangible of the idea.

It may seem thus far that this idea of art is set in opposition to science, which is not entirely accurate. If practiced properly this artistic way of thinking would work parallel to science, providing inspiration, and in some cases the simple ability to approach an idea. These practices operate in different intellectual space, and therefore the validity of science is not challenged by the practice of art. Science clearly cannot unite with art in the way high magic does, simply because it would not be constructive to the artistic process. Science would do nothing but eliminate and entire facet of art thinking that provides for profound revelation and contemplation.

The problem with low magic in comparison to the artistic process is its lack of intellect. Art is an intellectual process, and contains in it the ability to explore lofty ideas, which are far from mundane. Low magic has a focus in mundane everyday affairs, and its ability to control them. Its not that art cannot explore these mundane affairs, its just that to limit art to base aspects of life would be to remove what makes it so important. That is why high magic fits art so much better that low magic does. It’s a matter of scope of vision, and the ability to explore for understanding as opposed to only for a physical reaction. (Kieckhefer)

Art contains in it the ability to approach the truths of existence, unhindered by any constraint other than the artist’s imagination. Its practice is a skill learned over time, and by mastering the craft required to fully explore the truth of the idea, art can lead to insight and action that could not be reached through scientific means. High magic shares these qualities with art, and is a similar way or sidestepping the limitations of reality in order to approach ideas, which are lofty and extreme. It is this basic function which links these two ways of thinking and questioning, and shows how art remains relevant even with the advancement of science in modern life.

 

[xfer]

Oh, phoo, I was starting to think of suggestions, too. I didn't see this was posted last night.

 

[ChromeLife]

Holy shit red... also dont be insulted by my views of art and such... Im nuts.

 

[xfer]

I can't believe your paper lacks Harry Potter references.

 

[ChromeLife]

Haha.. I'm sorry... my point was odd enough as it is and I thought that Harry would muck things up more.