Spirituality and Art Essay Example for Free

Spirituality and Art Essay â€Å"Spirituality is such a vibrant and integral part of our lives that even our changing times and all the apparent obstacles have not stifled the powerful partnership of spirituality and art in the modern era† Lynn M. Herbert. This essay will assess and discuss three contemporary artists that address the idea or concept of ‘spirituality’ in their work. Spirituality is a term that lacks certain defiance or a definitive definition, although social scientists have defined spirituality as the search for ‘the scared’; which is broadly defined as that which is set apart from the ordinary. The term has changed throughout modern day society that it can now be classes as a separate entity from religion itself. Three key contemporary artists that use their works to convey the message of spirituality are; Alex Grey- The Artists Hand, 1997, oil on wood, 1616 inches; H. R Giger The Spell I, 1973, Acrylic, ink on wood 240x280cm and Cosima Lukashevich – The Oracle, 2009, Painting, Pastel on canvas 16 x 21. 9 inches. Each one of these three pieces has a different take on what the artist personally believes spirituality is. Alex Grey is that of a visionary artist best known for his depictions of the human body. The multiple layers of reality, revealing the complex integration of body, mind, and spirit has become his trademark in the 90’s. His paintings have been featured on various covers of albums and have been exhibited throughout the world. (Hagerty, 2006) The artist’s hand, 1997, holds a powerful instrument, here symbolized by a â€Å"Vajra brush,† is a means to awaken people to their own essence through the light of higher power. The history of art is an expression of universal creativity that invisibly surrounds and supports every creative action. The Vajra is a spiritual device, a thunderbolt scepter owned by the Hindu god Indra and adopted by the Buddhist sages as a symbol of the diamond-like clarity and brilliance of the mind’s true nature. (Alex Grey) This is a key point in Greys piece along with his signature of the human body. The Artists Hand shows the layers of a human body each layer showing a new represtation of it. The vajra has ightning potruding from it and the figureines in the background are all that of superstious being either being a direct decent of a religion or an ancient civilization. The incorporation of the eye is one that with background research tells of a clarity to the artists beliefs. Grey’s interpreataion of spirituality in which his pieces show that his definition comes from the human body and key chakra elements. To Grey it seems that spirituality comes from within the human body rather then of a religious origin. Giger however uses his interpretation of the relationships that the body has, The Spell I (1973) by H.  R. Giger shows the relationship between man and machine. Through Giger’s artwork the idea of Biomechanics is understood to bring the human structure to the next level, allowing evolution to take place with the existing aid of machinery. The visuals presented in Giger’s artwork tell the story of how humankind is affected by its surroundings and what we take for granted. This is Giger’s idea of our future and if we keep relying on a machinery to complete our tasks we will become one with machine living in a cultureless society. Mark, 1982) Unlike Grey, Gigers use of the human body is more conceptual in a mechanical way; he utilizes the concept of the matrix in his piece alonlg with key spirituality symbols like the horned female and the skull. Even though futruistic his take on spirituality is that of a symbolic method. Cosima Lukashevich is a well-rounded spiritual artist who is said to be artist of the world – who unlike Giger and Grey is inspired by life and the cultural heritage and ancient symbols. Her pieces are of less refinance and are that of an expletory piece. Lukashevich channels her spirituality through nature and meditation; her piece uses ancient symbols and meanings. Her interpretation of The Oracle, 2009, is that of a dreamlike appearance. Her use of position allows the viewer to focus of the clarity of the eyes in the piece. The use of her medium is crucial in this piece and so is the symbolic meaning behind it. Comparing this piece to Giger’s and Grey’s it is clear that it is more earthy then the two others. Grey and Giger have a precision to their pieces that Lukashevich does not capture however each artist expresses in their own way what they think spirituality is. Giger and Grey even though having slight common grounds take very different paths with their concepts. The use of the human body has been a key feature throughout each of these three pieces and shows that the human body is a crucial piece in the journey through spirituality. Spirituality is still a term that lacks certain defiance or a definitive definition, although social scientists have tried to define spirituality as the search for ‘the scared’; which is broadly defined as that which is set apart from the ordinary. The term itself still remains broadly defined; however you may choose to argue the points that of the artists, Alex Grey, H. R Giger and Cosima Lukashevich each convey through their works as the definition. Each has tried to convey their own definition of spirituality though their own works. But at the end of the day spirituality is something that one defines within themselves through their beliefs, attitudes and values; it is something that will remain till the end of time as an undefined term that through various artistic channels many try to seek its true origins. Artists at the dawn of the 21st Century have had the unique opportunity to create a universal spiritual art. This art will be born from visions of sacred archetypes common to all mystic paths. The spirit of the times will choose artists sufficiently prepared for this task. The challenge to an artist today is integrating the vast visual legacy of human culture with their own deepest and highest personal insights, distilling that into works of art and making a living at it.