Art and psyche
I have been practicing a type of painting that I call emerging image. After making a chaotic background, I stare until I see forms and images. Then I begin to paint. The emerging process continues throughou
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A place for artists and non-artists alike to share art and imagery that springs from the mysterious realms of soul and psyche.
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9 Things That Happen When You Carry A Sketchbook With You Nonstop—by Priscilla Frank
Love this! I'm NOT an artist, and it really speaks to me... 9 Things That Happen When You Carry A Sketchbook With You Nonstop—by Priscilla Frank Draw everywhere and all the time. An artist is a sketchbook with a person attached," artist Irwin Greenberg said. OK, but what if you're not an artist? Or, at least, not yet. Can you still gain something from incorporating a sketchbook into your everyday life? The answer is yes, yes, a million times yes. And here's why. Exercising your creative mind…
Read more…Dream Art
I thought it would be fun to post dream inspired art images along with the narrative of the dream that inspired the image. 11 x 14 Acrylic on Canvas This painting was done as part of my work with Karla Van Vliet, Art and the Practice of Presence. Dream: I am at some kind of outdoor function. There is a woman who jumps up and starts cleaning. I hear Mozart music and I close my eyes and start to spin around and around on the chair I am sitting on which now feels like a piano stool. It feels good…
Read more…Reconnecting with the Source of Artistic Expression
I work with clients who are professional artists, adolescent musicians who compete in international competitions, etc. Presenting problems sometimes include a lack of inspiration or crippling anxiety that blocks the ability to perform or audition. My sense is that these problems are partly due to a disconnection from the individual's core soul source - as well as a loss of serving as a channel for spiritual expression. I am inviting folks to share how they stay connected to their creative…
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Comments
Blind wandering through your question. :)
In expressive therapy, there is a belief that a person should not be confronted with an empty sand tray if there are deeply held fears. Such a blankness calls forth a horde of unwanted images and feelings. Unwanted in that there are too many to deal with at one time. (Any beginner will attest to the problems in the early practice of meditation when someone says, make your mind blank - then here come the beasties.)
I wonder if any product that "forcefully" draws out projections that are not able to be dealt with might concern a psychologist. A psychic overload can do some damage. Something with recognizable forms allows for some degree of assimilation and repression together.
And that is my final answer, from someone shooting from the hip with an empty gun. :)
Jung: Abstraction or Figurative?
I have a simple question that has been rolling around in the back of my head for years.
Jung stated that after seeing an exhibit of modern Art in Zürich, that he did not like and was disturbed by what would have been, contemporary art of his time. Which today we would call modern art. The problem with abstraction! Jung: “The problem with “Modern Art” is that the more it becomes abstract, the more people are able to project into it.” He feared the loss of meaning, narrative,and story. I am paraphrasing here. In the latter part of his life he speaks about an extraordinary encounter with his anima in which she tries to seduce him into becoming an artist. Jung resisted this seduction, but in no small measure did on some level perceived himself as an artist. Perhaps it was this projection, “The Artist” that created what I believe to be a blind spot. If this thought were carried forward in time today where would one draw the line? At conceptual art, abstract expressionist, minimalism? Interesting to note that the Dada movement started in Zürich Switzerland 1916- 1922. For what many believe to be the Rosetta Stone of conceptual, surreal, abstract, and installation art. All of which Jung seems to call into question!
I’ve noticed an extraordinarily strong tendency for Jungian analyst and like-minded people to be quite figurative in the different art mediums that they work in. Clearly it is easier to articulate a dream, story, or myth,in this fashion. “Just an observation.”
Where does one draw the line?
Losing the reins of the narrative by giving over to abstraction, I believe was one of the underlying fears. That it might lead to an unarticulated sensory, feeling place that would always be changing. Now that we are in this postmodern Period of time, it’s easy to look back and see how abstraction now informs figurative painting and vice versa.There was no way of knowing how these styles and movements would eventually inform and influence each other, but why this uncharacteristic stance from Jung on painting?
Modern and contemporary abstract art can be viewed much the same way as the Mandala, in that the Mandala represents the abstraction of a highly complex idea into a structured simple form to convey this complex idea. Modern and contemporary abstraction works the same way, like extracting wine from the grape, abstraction is simply trying to abstract highly complex ideas into a simple visual form.Jung obviously knew this? I know most of what we see in abstract art are the “best of intentions gone very wrong” and can be a poor substitute for craft and discipline, but even this carries a beauty and charm of its own.
Why did Jung have this myopic view of art?
If one accepts this idea of active imagination and its process. It’s hard not to extrapolate this out to the process of making art.which I would argue became too prescribed in its outcome, which falls on the line of figurative and narrative, almost a prescribed style by Jung. I’m guessing that after all this jabbering someone will have a one sentence explanation! and I’ll feel silly. I’m guilty of hanging blank white canvas freshly stretched for many months at a time on my walls. Admittedly I did no research or reading for this. Lazy Les.
Hi Leslie--and everyone. To respond to Leslie's question about where to post his question on Jung and art, I think it would be highly appropriate to post in this group, of course, but if you want people to be able to respond, you must click on the little link at the bottom of the Discussion Forum on this page that says "Add a discussion". That way, people can respond and there will be a thread of discussion. If you only post in the "comment" box, it becomes a one way broadcast and no one can respond directly.
A good example of that is that Leslie has posted his question about where to post as a comment---and since I can't respond directly to him, I am also posting my answer as a comment -- but it's not linked to his original question, nor will anyone else who wants to respond directly to me be able to respond. Do you see what I mean?
I know it can be confusing, but no worries---we'll get through it together! Please don't hesitate to message me directly from my page or to email info@depthpsychalliance.com if you have further technical questions.
Thanks for your reply! Kali is well-established in India where she has been revered for centuries. But in the West, a new/old/reframed archetype...could take generations upon generations. I sure hope that this birthing of the feminine happens in my lifetime. Actually, this is the 3rd mention in 2 weeks of this topic-That could mean nothing, or it could be like those little tiny shoots w/ 2 leaves that come up after a seed has been planted and germinated in the dark, moist soil. Of course I'm hoping for the latter.
On Asheville Jung Center is a post about a newly published book by a Pacifica PhD entitled The Feminine Trickster. Len Cruz gives it a well-rounded 'look-see', and admires her scholarship; & takes the same stance as Jung as in being shadowy as it develops.
The AJC post was #1, #2 was on NPR with Terri Gross (a great interviewer) the title was 'The Men Are Gone". It was about no more man sitcoms on TV. I don't have a TV, but we know sitcoms reflect the American culture. I don't know what it all means. But you could still catch Terri Gross on NPR or on podcasts.
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