Alex Grey

      
Alex Grey  "Wonder - Zena Gazing at the Moon"  1996

I have been a longtime fan of Alex Grey's visionary artwork, and realized I had to immediately remedy the fact that I have never posted about him here.  Perhaps most known to the masses as the man responsible for much of Tool's neo-psychedelic album art, he is to my mind one of the most impressive artists and important living mystics we have today.  His lifetime scholarship of pan-cultural enlightenment combined with his exacting draughtsmanship of physical anatomy translate into confoundingly beautiful paintings that seek to visually represent the most sacred of human experiences.  His images of birth, death, sexuality, love, and wonder (as depicted in one of my very favorite pieces of his, above) show people as radiant beings with rich, interactive relationships to the energy fields of the universe. 

For those of you in New York, I highly recommend a visit to his Chapel of Sacred Mirrors in Chelsea, a veritable jewelbox of a space which contains most of Alex's paintings, including his 21-piece homage to spiritual unity.  More than just a gallery, CoSM has become a full-on community center, with lectures, events, and ceremonies that are open to the public.  It is one of my favorite places to bring people, as it is a somewhat hidden surprise on the 4th floor of an old warehouse, making it a bit like suddenly entering the Land of Oz.  As an added bonus, Alex gives tours of the space himself on one Saturday a month, explaining his work and answering questions.  It is an absolute treat, so do check the schedule (it looks like the next one is on May 17th at 6:30). 

Lastly, it looks as though Alex will be giving a lecture at the Open Center on Friday, June 20th, called "Ethneogeneration: Sacred Potions, Art, Altered States, and the Divine."  You can bet I'll be there.

Comments

[Gamma Goblin]

Thats so strange. Just this week I thought of asking you if you had ever mentioned Grey in one of your posts. I searched through your posts myself and saw that you hadn't. I felt foolish to ask if you ever would so I just left it at that :)

[Pam]

HA! That is funny. Well now you know you were right!