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Visions of the Occult: An Untold Story of Art & Magic
£19.30£23.80 (-19%)
The first major survey of the occult collection of artworks, letters, objects and ephemera in the Tate Archive. Revealing over 150 unseen esoteric and mystical pieces, never before seen by the public and giving a new understanding to the artists in the Tate collection and the history and practice of the occult. The first major survey of the occult collection of artworks, letters, objects and ephemera in the Tate Archive. Revealing over 150 unseen esoteric and mystical pieces, never before seen by the public and giving a new understanding to the artists in the Tate collection and the history and practice of the occult. Offers in-depth exploration of the occult and it’s relationship to art and culture including witchcraft, alchemy, secret societies, folklore and pagan rituals, demonology, spells and magic, para-sciences, astrology and tarot. This lavishly illustrated magical volume acts a potent talisman connecting the two worlds of Tate – the seen public collection and the unseen secrets lurking in the archive. The pages of this book explore the hidden artworks and ephemera left behind by artists for the first time idea and will shed new light on our understanding of the art historical canon. Expect to find the unexpected with artists such as Ithell Colquhoun, John Nash, Barbara Hepworth, David Mayor, Max Armfield, Cecil Collins, Jill and Bruce Lacey, Francis Bacon, Alan Davie, Joe Tilson, Henry Moore, William Blake, Leonora Carrington and Hamish Fulton. For the first time, the clandestine, magical works of the Tate archive are revealed with archivist Victoria Jenkins acting as the depository of it’s secrets. This book explores the symbiotic relationship between art and the occult and how both can act as a form of resistance to challenging environments. This book will change perceptions forever and illuminate the surprising breadth and extraordinary ways in which artists interpret not just the physical world around them but also the supernatural, and in doing so make the unseen, seen. If you think you know Tate artists, it’s time to think again.
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Additional information
| Publisher | Tate Publishing, 1st edition (15 Sept. 2022) |
|---|---|
| Language | English |
| Hardcover | 176 pages |
| ISBN-10 | 1849767629 |
| ISBN-13 | 978-1849767620 |
| Dimensions | 20.07 x 2.54 x 25.4 cm |
by ButterNut
Visions of the Occult is like a magic potion brewed deep within the hidden vaults of the Tate art collection, where the author (a Tate Archivist) has skilfully selected enchanting ingredients and alchemically combined them, distilling them into something new and fresh. The outcome is an intoxicating yet accessible journey through the occult influences of British art.
The book is divided into short chapters each with enticing titles like Alchemy, Divination and Unseen Energies, providing overviews of how these themes are reflected in the work of British artists past and present. Each chapter also includes an ‘in focus’ section looking closely at individual artworks. This is a book you can really linger over, slowly taking in the beautiful images and excellent, well-researched writing. Even if you already know a fair bit about the various occult themes covered here, you will probably find new ways to appreciate them through the prism of these artworks.
by Karsen
This book makes the art it presents highly accessible – it is an engaging, thought provoking look through the collections of the Tate which captivates the reader.
What Victoria Jenkins does very well is not telling the reader what to think, she leads the reader to the possibility of an idea, concept or notion and allows the reader to come up with their own conclusions.
The chapter on alchemy for me was a particular highlight – turning base materials into gold – or turning everyday objects into something people desire. The art pieces presented meant one limited thing at the start of the chapter but something much more meaningful by the end – an act of alchemy in itself!
This book would serve as a great tour guide on a tour which many people with similar interests to me would very much enjoy.