The Mission of Art: 20th Anniversary Edition

Description

A 20th anniversary edition of the art classic that celebrates the intersection of creative expression and spirituality-from one of the greatest living artists of our time Twenty years after the original publication ofThe Mission of Art, Alex Grey's inspirational message affirming art's power for personal catharsis and spiritual awakening is stronger than ever. In this special anniversary edition, Grey-visionary painter, spiritual leader, and best-selling author-combines his extensive knowledge of art history with his own experiences in creating art at the boundaries of consciousness. Grey examines the roles of conscience and intention in the creative process, including practical techniques and exercises useful in exploring the spiritual dimensions of art. Challenging and thought-provoking,The Mission of Artwill be appreciated by everyone who has ever contemplated the deeper purpose of creative expression.

Alex Grey is best known for his psychedelic depictions of the human body that "x-ray" the multiple layers of reality and reveal the interplay of anatomical and spiritual forces. His visionary paintings have been featured in venues as diverse as the album art of TOOL, the Beastie Boys, and Nirvana, as well as Newsweek magazine, the Discovery Channel, NYC's Rose Planetarium, Burning Man, The New Museum, The San Diego Museum of Contemporary Art, LSD blotter art, and countless tattoos worldwide. Alex Grey and his beloved, Allyson Grey, cofounded CoSM (Chapel of Sacred Mirrors), an Art Church in the Hudson Valley where a Sanctuary of Visionary Art is being built to benefit and uplift a global community.

"Alex Grey might be the most significant artist alive. In a world gone postmodern, bereft of meaning and value, cut loose on a sea of irony and indifference, Alex is taking a stunning stand: there is a God, there is Spirit, there is a transcendental ground and goal of human development and unfolding. Higher realities are available to us-that is the message of Alex Grey's art and words in this book."-from the foreword by Ken Wilber "Alex Grey's mission is nothing less than the transformation of our 'depleted world' through art that supports the evolution of human consciousness. He discusses the lives and work of artists throughout history, and his own journey, as examples of the higher mission of art, and encourages others to break out of the prevailing mood of irony and cynicism and create work with the heart and spirit." -Yoga Journal "An inspirational text for artists and for everyone else who has ever had a glimpse of art's power for personal catharsis and spiritual awakening." -Branches of Light "Grey's insistence that art should be a revelatory and healing force in our culture should resonate with artists in virtually any discipline." -Publishers Weekly