Sunday, June 09, 2013

OTHER WORLDS, AHOY!

Other Worlds, Ahoy! Oil on linen 80 x 90cm 2013
 
Regular readers will know that when I use a term such as 'other worlds' I am thinking literally and metaphorically.

With this post, in keeping with some of my other recent ones, I am suggesting journeys [amongst other things too]. But...again both literal and metaphoric ones.

Other Worlds, Ahoy! also continues my thoughts on untethering notions of landscape from being Earth-bound. In an age where cosmological research is discovering more and more about the close and far distances of the Universe, even suggesting a Multiverse, I believe we have a great opportunity to re-interpret 'landscape' with new perspectives. And...that this may provide new insights for all kinds of sustainability and even new ways of being.

With Other Worlds, Ahoy! a dominant landscape provides an horizon, yet is the viewer in this landscape or hovering above it? Is it Earth? Other planets...even Universes...worlds...hover too. Is the viewer on another of these? Or is the viewer in some kind of spacecraft madly negotiating a safe pathway to another Earth-like planet, a new 'home'?

I have used the exclamation Ahoy! as if you, the viewer, are being alerted to new worlds, like a sailor exclaiming 'Land Ahoy!' or someone on land exclaiming 'Ship Ahoy!'

So, this got me thinking, are we like a sailor, keeping a keen eye out for land, or are we observers looking for a ship? Yep, 'land' is a metaphor for sanctuary and 'ship' is one for journey, even escape. Maybe, with skills in seeing multi-perspictives, even simultaneously, we will 'see' all opportunities for escape, journeys and sanctuaries, and in this process discover new ways of being where opportunity becomes something else.

And, I was also thinking about the inner workings of our psyches where 'other worlds' exist, where sanctuaries promise and 'ships' pass through. The 'landscape' of the soul, the 'landscape' of the psyche are intriguing ideas, because like literal landscape, there are mountains and valleys, floods and droughts...and the opportunity for perspective, even multiple ones experienced simultaneously.

The two trees in Other Worlds, Ahoy! are beacon-like, maybe beckoning and warning. For me, they represent all of life. As regular readers will know, they refer to my much loved age-old transcultural/religious tree-of-life symbol and its capacity to transcend time and history...and provide hope.

I've previously written about landscape elements as metaphors.


JUNG-HILLMAN-SOUL AND COSMOLOGY
On Thursday night 6th June I attended a fascinating presentation at the Queensland Jung Soc. I have been a member for a few years. The presentation was given by Suzanne Cremin-Davidson, the Society's current president and PhD candidate in depth psychology at La Trobe University, Melbourne. Here's a LINK that will take you to a short description of Suzanne's talk plus more information about her.

Suzanne spoke in depth about Jung, his student and colleague James Hillman and soul. The description of 'soul as perspective' grabbed my attention... as regular readers will understand! It got me thinking about concepts of soul in an age where cosmology is revealing more and more, as I wrote above, about the close and far distances of the Universe, even Multiverse. Suzanne also spoke about soul as something not just within us, but also all around us, immersing us, as if we and everything else is Soul. SO... multiple perspectives experienced simultaneously... is Soul!? Certainly, Hillman apparently described soul in a multiple of ways eg: as landscape, perspective, beauty and more. Yet, aren't these all just different perspectives? Rather than seeming a bit slippery, maybe Hillman was touching upon the agency of multi-perspective? So back to cosmology...will cosmology not only help us understand our literal environment, which is the Universe/Multiverse, but also provide a wonderful metaphoric cradle for us to 'see' ourselves, in all aspects, differently...and from multiple perspectives...even simultaneously...may I suggest, soulfully?


DETAIL Other Worlds, Ahoy! Oil on linen


COSMIC ADDRESS
My next solo exhibition
Coming 15-27 OCTOBER
For some images and details Click HERE

THE ART LIFE
 A few weeks ago three of my paintings were featured on Australian art news and reviews site The Art Life's New Work Friday Click HERE to view

Until next time!
Kathryn
www.kathrynbrimblecombe-fox.com

1 comment:

Audubon Ron said...

I love these.