Cosmic Geometries Organized by Hilma’s Ghost at THE ELIZABETH FOUNDATION

James Kalm has been interested the notion of “sacred geometry”, Platonic forms, and diagrams of Ontology since the bad old days of the psychedelic 60s. He has written about the tendencies of the New Mexico Transcendental artists, the Northern Baroque mystic Robert Flood, and other practicers of the alchemy and Hermetic tradition like Hilma af Klint, Agnes Pelton, and Paulina Peavy. Cosmic Geometries organized by Hilma’s Ghost (Sharmistha Ray and Dannielle Tegeder) at the Elizabeth Foundation for the Arts presents works by over twenty-five artists (mostly women) who all explore aspects of abstraction that have to do, more or less, with a profound concept of mystical geometry. Using various compositions based on the square, circle and triangle these artists display the infinite possibilities of variation and expose why these ancient forms are so rich in possibilities for contemporary use. Artists included are: Natessa Amin, Yevgeniya Baras, Lisa Beck, Biren De, Grace DeGennaro, Evie Falci, Anoka Faruqee & David Driscoll, Rico Gatson, Diana Guerrero-Maciá, Xylor Jane, Valerie Jaudon, Laleh Khorramian, Julia Kunin, Marilyn Lerner, Anne Lindberg, Mahirwan Mamtani, Carrie Moyer, Stephen Mueller, Sky Pape, Dorothea Rockburne, A.V. Ryan, Laurel Sparks, Barbara Takenaga, Jackie Tileston and Johanna Unzueta. This program was recorded February 10, 2022. #jameskalmreport #jameskalmroughcut #lorenmunk

[@jhb61249]

James, if you live and keep doing this forever, someone will be watching you do your thing. Thanks Kate. Y'all stay well.

[@jameskalm]

Thanks @james brewer, I've already been doing this "forever" (at least since 2006) at this point, I think I'm one of the longest continuous content producers on KZbin....

[@TeresaBaileypolymath]

Thank you, Kate!

[@chezceleste]

Thank you Kate...another wonderful trip.

[@jazw4649]

Another strange coincidence, I was just reading about Dynamic Symmetry in composition. Very geometric concepts, angular and mathematical use of squares and rectangles to get bisecting lines and angles that are more pleasing to the eye in a composition.... calculating the golden section and Fibonacci sequence how the heck did they come up with this stuff soooo long ago? That Evie Falci rhinestones on denim piece was so mesmerising. Thank you Kate! Thank you James Kalm!

[@GarnetLynne]

Jungian psychology, Man and his symbols. Geometry unlocks our subconscious mind to create. Anyway, love your work and I've been following you since 2008, thank you Kate! It gives me a chance to visit New York and see others work with out traveling.

[@mayormc]

Nice selection of work and some stellar alto sax at the onset.

[@barbarasenglaub1655]

Awesome show! Thanks Kate & James!

[@monrea10]

Thank you for covering this show! I’ve been looking for images online since I’m in Texas and wouldn’t be able to see in person.

[@Billart]

Lots of variety of approaches. I actually knew Stefan Mueller’s art & videoed a few of his shows at Betty Cunningham in SoHo over Fanellies in the 90’s as I recall. I generally don’t’ feel most of the work had a deep investment in Spirituality as related to Madam Blavatsky & Rudolf Steiner, etc. as the point you we’re questioning.whereas I did in my early days in a number of quite authentic ways, including others, even Joseph Campbell I once met. I’ve done some writing about all this on Facebook & the necessity for the true re-integration

[@Billart]

of a truer Spirituality & higher seeking in art making to offset the drum beat of constant commercialism which always knocks things down to meaninglessness explaining why things remain at such a low level aesthetically. I don’t think it’s all been said for a spiritually motivated art to invent in really fresh new challenging ways for painting.

[@MikeWitmerNatureJournal]

While I do like a lot of these, it did occur to me while watching this video that painting like this has basically been going on now for centuries. This is non objective image painting. In a sense all this work is not groundbreaking or even modern. It is in fact kind of old fashioned in both form and content. I think painting has really grown and changed a lot if you consider the type of work that started happening in the late 50s and 60s. This show and this work does not really reflect any of the late advancements in painting.

[@jameskalm]

Hey @MIKE WITMER I'd be curious to know what you consider the elements in painting that have "really grown and changed a lot" (aside from the mechanical innovations) since "the late 50s and 60s"...JK

[@MikeWitmerNatureJournal]

If you think about the idea of space in paintings and how much Newman challenged that or the way Robert Ryman conceived of painting (perhaps the most forward thinking), Even someone like Eva Hesse, who isn't thought of as a painter exactly but I think some of her work really dealt with painting ideas presented in a very new way. Some of the people whose work appears in some of your videos (cannot recall names at the moment) really pushed the idea of the support as being a very important element. Blinky Palermo would be another innovator. All these people to some degree go way beyond the idea of the pictorial or a colored image on a flat surface. It seems that a lot of painters (not all) I see in these videos have abandoned the fertile possibilities of the earlier era in favor of a color and surface spectacle. No real rhyme or reason, just play. Not really complaining but also not really relating to much of the work. I plan to keep looking however.

[@mementomatrix]

give to lsd some credit

[@lovepeace3041]

Thank you, Kate!