DIVINE CINNABAR
mixed media installation
Divine Cinnabar, 2022 mixed media installation approx 11' x 90' This installation was part of the exhibition "Remember Earth" curated by Erin Antonak at the Contemporary Art Center New Orleans
From chaos we find our way to order. From darkness we find our way to beauty.
Through a visual transmutation this piece addresses a possibility for change in the physical world, as well as within our spiritual selves. A process akin to esoteric rites in which the transformation of matter stands in solidarity with the enlightenment of self.
The “Great Work” of Alchemy is often described as a series of four stages represented by colors. Using this sequential color palette, I invite the viewer along the journey.
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nigredo, blackness (first step, decomposition)
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albedo, whiteness (following the chaos, purification)
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citrinitas, yellowness (dawning of solar light)
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rubedo, redness (final culmination)
I believe the metaphors of these ancient alchemical processes are poignant and speak loudly to our modern world and dilemmas.
Our decisions, actions, and choices will not only affect the future of our environment, but our deeper selves as part of that whole.