In Alejandro Jodorowsky’s landmark 1973 surrealist film The Holy Mountain, a thief ascends a great tower on a golden hook. At the top of the tower, in a rainbow throne room, an alchemist transmutes elements from the thief’s body into solid gold. Later, on a path to enlightenment, the thief and the alchemist assemble a party that treks through a world filled with the bizarre, grotesque, profound and obscene.
Amid it all, though, is a persistent motif: Creation is not bound by the physical world. Gold can come from flesh, eternal life from holy mountains, enlightenment from the absurd. This is the backbone of alchemy, and it’s something that Brad Kunkle has been pondering for his new show at Arcadia Contemporary.
“The show is called alkame. This is how the word alchemy appears in a dictionary for pronunciation. I thought it was fitting because it’s kind of a literal manifestation of a meaning of the word. Alchemy is an ancient branch of natural philosophy—a magical process of creation and transformation with the pursuit to attain a perfected final state,” Kunkle says from his New York studio. “On a broad scope, I’ve been exploring the idea of magical thinking and alchemy, which led me to literal spell casters…the history of witchcraft, etc. And all of that looped me back to the broader initial fascination with magical thinking and alchemy. Whether someone is a practicing witch or a catholic priest, or even just someone who believes in serendipity, the commonality is that they all believe that there is an invisible world that can affect their lives. Magical thinking is a strong force that has been a part of the human story since the dawn of time, and it’s an endless source of inspiration for me.”
この記事は American Art Collector の April 2020 版に掲載されています。
7 日間の Magzter GOLD 無料トライアルを開始して、何千もの厳選されたプレミアム ストーリー、9,000 以上の雑誌や新聞にアクセスしてください。
すでに購読者です ? サインイン
この記事は American Art Collector の April 2020 版に掲載されています。
7 日間の Magzter GOLD 無料トライアルを開始して、何千もの厳選されたプレミアム ストーリー、9,000 以上の雑誌や新聞にアクセスしてください。
すでに購読者です? サインイン
FULL EXPOSURE
Photographer Conor Martin documents the present using photographic methods of the past.
Autumnal Light
The landscapes and nature scenes of painter Jennifer Sowders are irresistibly tactile, filled with varying textures that seem to leap off the canvas.
Art for All
Members of Art Dealers Association of America come together for a philanthropic affair.
Modern Marketplace
Redwood Art Group brings together the San Diego region for another class-act celebration of contemporary artwork.
An Enchanting Evening
Scottsdale Artists’ School knows how to throw an art party.
Timeless Tales
Soft, warm undertones underscore the mood of enchantment that runs through Nom Kinnear King’s paintings.
Next Exit New York
Coming off his series that focused on San Francisco and Los Angeles freeway signs, artist Eric Nash’s sights are now set on New York. Now on view at George Billis Gallery's Manhattan location are seven of Nash's new oil paintings and two drawings that explore the signage of New York City freeways. Although Nash's work is tightly rendered, he doesn’t consider himself a photorealist, but rather someone who utilizes those techniques to express ideas.
Monster Mash
Vampires, witches, ghouls and all things that go bump in the night are the theme of the exhibition Monster Mash, now at Abend Gallery.
Inside/Outside
Those familiar with Geoffrey Johnson's populated by inky figures and trailing shadows that bleed into the wet streets, and architectural elements obscured to varying degrees by the misty atmosphere.
Bold Figures; Bold Color
For Brooklyn based painter J Louis, it’s all about balance, which can mean many different things in a composition, but for Louis, it’s about balancing his female figures among a unique landscape of color.
