A rebellion towards a new renaissance
I reject the spiritual bankruptcy of our age and believe in the coming of a new renaissance.
As a society, we’re drowning in ugliness and nihilism.
Blind to the spiritual impoverishment that surrounds us. We have forgotten our nature as spiritual creatures. That we don’t simply observe beauty but require it for intellectual and emotional nourishment.
This spiritual bankruptcy manifests starkly in our contemporary art and architectural landscapes.
The degradation of beauty in art
Today most art exists to provoke our senses and make us recoil in disgust. When art meets those conditions, the modern art world celebrates it. Treating this degradation as a sign of creative achievement.
It mocks our intellect, corrupts our minds, and degrades our emotions.
But great art stands in radical opposition. It elevates our intellect, emotion, and mind because it adheres to universal principles - principles that are real, objective, and embedded in our psyche.
These universal principles include harmony and proportions, the depiction of an idealized version of nature or humans rather than mere replications, symbolic depth, and storytelling from mythology, religion, and history to inspire and provide philosophical frameworks.
Together they act as a powerful conduit through which the finite is united with the infinite.
The National Art Gallery of Canada (pictured above) embodies this dichotomy between great art and corrupt art.
On Level 2 C, Renaissance, Baroque, and 18th Century art stand as shining examples of human creativity and achievement. Without a doubt, they are the greatest artworks on display at the National Art Gallery. They’re attempting to bridge the finite with the infinite because they narrate archetypical mythologies of humanity.
By contrast, the majority of the gallery—over 65% by my estimation—displays contemporary/modern artistic bankruptcy.
Not only that but the exterior building design and the infamous Maman spider sculpture epitomize this aesthetic and spiritual failure.
The degradation of beauty in architecture
The National Art Gallery building was designed by Moshe Safdie, who notoriously designed Habitat 67 in Montreal. Both of these buildings are Frankensteins but are celebrated as grand achievements. Truth be told, Habitat 67 is a crime against humanity.
Neither the National Art Gallery nor Habitat 67 adhere to classical proportions and symmetry, nor do they have ornamentations, representing a failure to connect with universal aesthetic principles and understand the history of humanity and the human person.
Classical proportions, symmetry and ornamentations in architecture reveal profound philosophical truths about beauty, harmony and human scale.
They suggest that there are universal principles that transcend individual preferences and culture. Buildings designed this way often stand the test of time and are universally appreciated. They provide a sense of visual order and stability in a world of chaos.
But the irony of modern art and architecture lies in their reliance on these universal principles (which they claim to reject). They provoke shock, confusion and disgust precisely because we are inherently attuned to seeking harmony, proportion, narrative depth etc.
Without a dependence on our natural inclination towards these universal principles, the whole mission of modern art and architecture collapses.
The art spectrum
Our art and architecture have always reflected our spiritual journey.
Great art like great architecture adheres to universal principles. The further we deviate from this the worse our collective psyche gets. The closer we absorb these principles in our art, the better we get.
On this spectrum, either we descend into absolute nihilism creating pieces like Untitled by Cy Twombly, or ascend towards Truth creating works of art like David by Michelangelo.
On the nihilist side, artists and viewers are condemned to darkness, unable to perceive the light of Truth. It traps us hopelessly in the chaos and transience of this life.
In a true sense, modern art becomes a closed system, reflecting only the chaos of prime matter. This prevents us from ascending above our material existence.
Hence why modern art is often mere aesthetic shock, filled with existential despair, and celebration of ugliness (see above image).
Sadly we, as artists and viewers, are in chains like the figures in Plato’s cave, mistaking shadows for reality.
By nature, this type of art is self-referentially incoherent because the presupposition is that nothing matters. Ironically artists create art because they want to create meaning.
Here’s the twist: we are simultaneously the prisoners and the prison guards in Plato’s cave, complicit in our own intellectual and spiritual confinement. We’re the ones who continue to perpetuate this delusion yet wonder why there’s a meaning crisis today.
But there is hope
On the opposite end of the spectrum is redemption. Here, art becomes a transformative vessel - enabling artist and viewer to become partakers of the Divine Life, embodying true theosis - becoming God-like.
Thesosis is the process by which humans can become partakers of the Divine nature. And sacred art by embodying this spiritual journey becomes a conduit for this transformation.
Freeing us from the chains of darkness and materiality, and allowing us to see the Light.
In this light, artists begin to take their responsibility seriously. They understand that the human person needs mythologies, philosophy and theology in a visual format. They understand that great art is a gateway to the Infinite.
Thus this is why sacred art is the highest form of art because it participates within a historic-spiritual dimension that extends before and beyond the artist. These artworks become timeless.
And the artwork itself grants individuals the opportunity to participate in theosis.
Sacred walls to white walls
Historically, artworks, whether in sacred or public contexts, have served purposes beyond mere aesthetics. Often aiming to depict embedded truths from history, mythology, philosophy or theology.
These spaces, in tandem with the art, transform the visual experience into an active spiritual vehicle. Where art transcends aesthetic appreciation to become a vessel of theosis - going from physical to spiritual.
However, in modern art galleries, this profound connection is often severed. Artworks are displayed in sterile, contextless environments where paintings hang on monotone walls - stripped of meaning, naked and disconnected from everything.
Sadly, this reflects our culture’s spiritual impoverishment - our struggle to see beyond the transient, material sensation. We have lost the wisdom to engage with art as a pathway to the Infinite.
Various traditions, whether Christianity, Hinduism, Islam, or Buddhism, have long understood art’s potential as a vehicle for theosis. To usher the devotees into experiencing the fullness of their humanity through unity with God by way of sacred art, wisdom, architecture, signs and symbols, and acts of virtue.
An act of rebellion
What is the purpose of our lives if not to seek beauty and wisdom?
As Plato argues true wisdom seeks a form of immortality through the birth of ideas and virtues. Great art has always attempted at birthing immortality in the souls of the viewers.
Just as wisdom allows us to see beyond the transient and live flourishing lives, beauty does the same by providing visual stability, harmony and rhythm.
As someone committed to reviving beauty and wisdom, I understand that beauty isn’t merely an aesthetic pleasure nor subjective but a guide towards the Truth.
Great art is one of many avenues that nourish our intellectual and emotional lives.
So I’m unveiling a new painting this week - one that has taken me over 140+ hours to complete. This new piece is a deliberate participation in a sacred tradition.
It’s an act of rebellion against our culture’s pervasive nihilism and ugliness, particularly within modern art. Like my other pieces, I aim to rekindle the appreciation for beauty through symbolism and universal principles.
See you on Saturday!
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