Woburn Square
University of London, London WC1H 0NS
UK
Organised by Fulgur Esoterica, this one-day of lecture aims to offer an insight into the emerging category of esoteric art by focusing on what has been defined as one of its key aspects – the engagement between artists and spirit entities and what this means in terms of artistic expression. This day of lectures will take place at the Warburg Institute, one of the most renowned centres for the study of cultural, intellectual and art history.
Leading scholars in the field will present original research on the intersection between artistic currents such as Surrealism, modernism and abstraction and esoteric movements such as witchcraft, Spiritualism, the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn and Theosophy. By exploring a range of artists with different historical contexts and means of expression we hope to inspire artists and researchers working with these themes today and to develop the framework upon which further research, both historical and contemporary, can be carried out.
Speakers:
– The Curious Case of Georgiana Houghton’s Spirits – Marco Pasi (University of Amsterdam)
– Invoking Colour and Form as Spirit Entities – Amy Hale (Golden Gate University)
– Communicating with Higher Spirits: Hilma af Klint – Gary Lachman (Independent scholar)
– Invitation, Invocation and Manifestation in Leonora Carrington – Prof. Susan Aberth (Bard College)
– Totemic Powers and the Materiality of Magic in the Work of Victor Brauner – Daniel Zamani (Cambridge University)
– Witch Pictures: Female Magic and Transgression in Western Art – Pam Grossman (Independent scholar)