MAZATLAN AND THE VALLEY OF THE NILE
NEPSIS FOUNDATION
See Egypt Paintings [114-128, 139,
142, 142a]
Stephen Frost PhD
University of California, Berkeley/ECAI:
Page 3.
Even the most ‘abstract’ or
‘non-representational’ painting may have content and context that are important
to its meaning- witnesses in an ongoing response to otherwise ineffable inner
experience. This is not separate from either world history or the vast
and variable parameters of the moment. It colors, animates and provides a rich
cache of meaning. Is, in fact,
vital to aesthetic experience.
The Frost paintings, prints, drawings and sculptures of the Nepsis Foundation are strongly annotated compared to the captions of most contemporary artworks. Often an artwork, or series has its own story or myth worth knowing. This because of the uniquely influential role they played in the Nepsis evolution and themes- 'On-the-Road' pilgrimages, Study: Theology, Religion and Aesthetics- Initiation and Practice.
The Frost paintings, prints, drawings and sculptures of the Nepsis Foundation are strongly annotated compared to the captions of most contemporary artworks. Often an artwork, or series has its own story or myth worth knowing. This because of the uniquely influential role they played in the Nepsis evolution and themes- 'On-the-Road' pilgrimages, Study: Theology, Religion and Aesthetics- Initiation and Practice.
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MAZATLAN AND THE
VALLEY OF THE NILE
Themes
- Comparable World Views and Art they’ve inspired: Shamanism/Animism/Pastoral-Agriculturist-Mystery Religions, Technocracy (Commerce, Politics, Technology- Positivism...)- and the Thaumaturge.
- Genius Loci- A localization of Grace?
- On the nature of reflections about a complex of values and experience- what we are able to perceive of reality: Ontology/Ontonomy.
- Consider the long-term effects of these ideas, images and experiences on the student and his worldview.
(Also see paintings
#[113, 129 and #130 through
#154, #158])
#154, #158])
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[118.] MAZATLAN: Place of the Deer/RIFT BETWEEN WORLDS. Acrylic on Canvas- 18" X 14" 2004 |
 |
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[120 .] MAZATLAN: DEER GOD AND BLUE ROSES- Through the Rift -Acrylic on Canvas- 18" X 14" 2004 (Google: Pleurisy/T. Williams for Blue Roses ref.) |
Some world views posit that it is possible to make ontological changes as the result of shifting states of mind—through metaphysical exercise, especially ritual rooted in traditional moral systems, festal calendars, with extensive cultural nuance-- and help provide an ecology of relationships for this art. These paintings, [114-129] including ‘Idea of the Pyramid and Nile Water Lilies’ resulted from multiple, shared visits to Egypt and literally hundreds of hours spent on or along the Nile River Valley, to ‘sense its spirit.’ These years of fascination with Egypt, its history, art and philosophies produced 15 paintings finished in 2004- #s 114-129 at the UCB site above. But in the midst of this suite of paintings of similar size, theme, mood and painting style, three paintings, #s118- 120 budded from the same branch with conscious (and unconscious) attachment to the Deer Deities of Mexico, in particular to Mazatlan- Place of the Deer- and Canyon Del Cobre. The Deer Deity is the guide and protector for the indigenous pilgrims of those places who seek meaning and healing in their long arduous ambulations. (Note the suggestion of deer head and antlers that emerged unconsciously in paintings 119 and 120. A 'rift between worlds' [states of mind?] was opened, this is what came through...)
This sensibility seeps through the walls of painted caves, gushes cracks in the Central Mountain, floods across plains- abajo del volcan- of evolving human perception- an organ of visionary consciousness necessary to understand the sense of ancient world-views. These paintings are the artifacts of experience emoting from, evoking and recording the passage of experience... `
This sensibility seeps through the walls of painted caves, gushes cracks in the Central Mountain, floods across plains- abajo del volcan- of evolving human perception- an organ of visionary consciousness necessary to understand the sense of ancient world-views. These paintings are the artifacts of experience emoting from, evoking and recording the passage of experience... `
Spiritual phenomena might be
projections of the mind or the mind’s response to stimulus, extra-material or
not. Though limited by our
capacity for experiencing/perceiving, there is always more as we develop vocabularies,
ideas and the mechanisms of perception.
And more that becomes untouchable to us as some organs of perception
atrophy in a new age with different, or more material interests.
Reflections upon the spontaneous
insertion of one set of memories, symbols and associated states of
consciousness into another- the art process involved by such insertion of one
set of paintings, as these three works above, into the creation of another set
of art works- not only emboldens an encounter with the ineffable as it suggests similar latent characteristics
between sets, but colors the construct of culture and personality itself in
revealing a mechanism of evolving
religious and aesthetic consciousness.
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114
Creation at 'On' I (Idea of a
Pyramid)
Acrylic on Canvas 18" X
18" 2004
‘On’ at the top of the Nile
delta is the first city of the world.
Certainly is the first City in Egypt. See Egyptian Creation accounts-- compare how Ra created the Gods
and the figure of Onan in the Old Testament. 'On' was located where contemporary Heliopolis and the
International airport are now located in the suburbs of Cairo.
115
Creation at 'On' II
(Idea of a
Pyramid/Ra creates the Egyptian pantheon.)
Acrylic on Canvas 18" X
18" 2004
116
Creation at 'On' III
Above the Sacred Precinct
Acrylic
on Canvas 10" X 10" 2004
117
Creation at 'On' IV
Thaumaturge
Acrylic on Canvas 16" X
16" 2004
118
MAZATLAN: RIFT BETWEEN WORLDS.
Acrylic on Canvas 18" X
14" 2004
'MAZATLAN' means the "Place of the Deer." The deer family as a major human food source, came to symbolize not only the spiritual quest in the hunt-at a time when everything important was sacralized- it also represents fecundity, plenty, survival, salvation. Certainly save me more than once.
'MAZATLAN' means the "Place of the Deer." The deer family as a major human food source, came to symbolize not only the spiritual quest in the hunt-at a time when everything important was sacralized- it also represents fecundity, plenty, survival, salvation. Certainly save me more than once.
119
MAZATLAN:
Deer God
Acrylic
on Canvas 18" X 14" 2004
120
MAZATLAN: DEER GOD AND BLUE ROSES: Through
the Rift
Acrylic on Canvas 18" X 1 4"
2004
121
LILIES ON THE NILE (Near
the Source)
Acrylic on Canvas
20" X 16" 2004
122
Lilies on the Nile--Last
Papyrus
Acrylic on Canvas
20" X 16" 2004
126
Lilies on the Nile: Third
Cataract
Acrylic on Canvas 20" X 16" 2004
127.
Lilies on the Nile: First
Cataract
Acrylic on Canvas
18" X 18" 2004
128.
Lilies on the Nile:
Second Cataract
Acrylic on Canvas 18" X
18" 2004
SEE NEPSIS FOUNDATION ART CATALOG
[1] Re Agriculture and Nature: Saint George (Gk. Geo= earth +(t)urge worker, i.e.
farmer) remains a popular icon.
Usually he is depicted slaying a dragon. See paintings #6 and 7 for a connection with this project- or any of the earlier
landscapes. It is worth noting
that George tamed Nature, the Dragon, with agriculture rather than killing it,
as he is often depicted- a latter day capacity.
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THE FOURTH MAZATLAN PAINTING:
Painting #235.
University of California, Berkeley/ECAI:
Page 3, For First Three Mazatlan Paintings, [118-120]. In their context of the Egypt Suite of Paintings [114-128](Alchemy-from the black soil of the Nile Delta; Mysticism and the Blessed Mother, [her black-faced, reputedly miraculous statues in Europe and India]- Nature, Death, Decay- Regeneration, Rebirth, Resurrection- Salvific deities: Horus and Mazatl...)
OR
OR
This Fourth Mazatlan Painting was started at the same time that the other three Mazatlan paintings in 2003. and displayed a similar theme of opening and rhythm of painting. But this 4th painting would not be finished until spring, 2012- in the shadow of the ‘Mother Mountain’ of Northern New Mexico- home of the Navajo deity, Changing Woman. All of this is well after the 1986 transition to an exploration of the ‘left hand path’ from years of Christian and Secular altruism which focus on natural life and its perfection. One ‘hand’ shakes the other in that regard, since this ‘left hand’ way is not about ‘Evil’ per se, but about the Yin, or earth rather than sky references- Moon rather than Sun- Muladhara the earth chakra and abode of the Goddess- See paintings #s [36, 37, 44, 70, 80, 96].
235. (Numbered from a post-Nepsis inventory count in 2011.
Also see Paintings #(174. [105])
and 233-236 in the 2011 Inventory at http://www8080.nepsis.com:8080/gallery2/main.php)
4th Mazatlan Painting
Acrylic on Canvas, 20” x 16”
2003-2012
(AFTER THE ACHEKALE, 1986-THE LEFT HAND-Muladhara IV)
Biology and the Psyche of Nature
("A rift between worlds was opened, this also is what was revealed in that long ago action.")
"In 1986 I exercised my personal metaphysical practice by going on a long arduous pilgrimage to Eastern Turkey. This travel was characterized by both the kindness of strangers, but also of God I believe. In this, I concluded my exploration solely of 'right hand' spirituality. I.e., Christianity, Buddhism and Shamanism- religious patterns of Healing, Integration, Resurrection and Enlightenment. (There are elements of light and dark in all of these mindsets...) See paintings #62.
”Achekale, The White Castle.”
-Oil on Canvas- 5.5 x 3.5 -1987.
I have treated at length the issue of the genius loci, 'spirit(s) of place,' (see "Letter to a Bishop", Chapter Five, et al.), early in the 1980's. Subsequently, finding sufficient, symbolic traction there, I began to focus more and more on the spirit or psyche of dark energies and dark matter. There had always been an element of this in my quest. In fact, it inserted itself into my frame of mind... Now it became the main focus. I believe this came to its denouement with the 4th MAZATLAN PAINTING. See paintings #s [1461 through 154]. Consider also the caption for #[158] therein with its comparison between Catholic ‘celibacy’ and older mystical practices.
Before the Enlightenment and Scientific Revolution in Europe, most knowledge is coded symbolically in multi-hued systems of local and universal order that contain elements vital to the quality of human life, perhaps to our survival- Ontonomy: the study of Order. As we ‘consider’ i.e. draw the stars together we give order to the universe we inhabit is a religious task. As we ‘desire’ we tear the stars apart- the diaboli- sometimes a necessary function. In any case, the inner working of these ‘influences’ influence what we do or don’t do. For instance, there would be no Real Estate commerce if ‘the land’ were still considered sacred. Similarly, slaves had to be degraded to a semi human, less sacred or at least radically inferior status to justify the injustice of their state and elevate their value as a commodity. Climate warming and change is high on the list of similar problems in new technocratic systems.
The older mystical systems are generally inconvenient to modern commerce and war, though they often involved both in different, lesser proportions.
Art, from the Sanskrit Ars, is an ancient religious function in that it primarily ‘bridges’ this ‘world’ to the ‘other’ or ‘spiritual world’ and is necessary in the construct of psychic health in persons and systems. The art of this 4th MAZATLAN painting completes a cycle in the progress of this larger observation- NEPSIS! (http://ecai.org/NEPSIS/)
