Phantasmaphile

UK + Turkey tales

I just got back from a week in London and a week in Turkey.  Highlights of the London leg include communing with the Treadwell's crew, getting to hold the breathtaking new issue of Abraxas in my hands, stopping into the British Museum, and swooning over the Signs, Symbols, Secrets show at the Science Museum, where I got weak in the knees in front of an actual Ripley Scroll and other priceless alchemical manuscripts:

Signs, Symbols, Secrets: an illustrated guide to alchemy

• Location

  Second Floor

• Suggested duration

  15 mins

• Opening Dates

  Fri 27 Apr 2012 - Sat 27 Apr 2013

• Cost

  Free

• More things about

  Art, Chemistry and Materials

The quest for the philosophers’ stone was a major preoccupation of the early modern world. This precious substance was said to transform base metals into silver and gold, heal sickness, and unlock the mysteries of God and nature. Its recipe was a closely guarded secret and a bewildering array of signs and symbols were used, both figuratively and allegorically, to convey key processes and ideas in the search for the fabled stone. This exhibition follows the theme of a recipe using the same sources devised and decoded by the alchemists themselves.

The exhibition displays 22 of the most striking images from the rich collection of the Science Museum’s Library & Archives. Dating from the 16th to the 18th centuries, these works reveal the power and intricacy of alchemical art, whilst allowing us to attempt an interpretation of the hidden meanings behind the symbols.

At the heart of the exhibition is a newly discovered manuscript: a Ripley scroll. These rare scrolls include some of the most complex and fascinating alchemical imagery in existence. For the first time, this object can be viewed alongside selected texts and images from the Museum’s collections.Its rich symbolism offers clues – both practical and theoretical – for the creation of the philosophers’ stone.

Only 23 Ripley scrolls are known to exist. This one dates from the 18th century and is the most recently discovered. Scholars believe that all the surviving examples are copies and variations upon a lost 15th-century original. They are named after the famous English alchemist George Ripley, although there is no evidence that Ripley designed the scrolls himself. The scrolls range in size, but are all too long to be viewed and understood in a single glance. Scholars are still investigating how they are meant to be read and used. It is possible that the original scroll was created for a wealthy patron interested in alchemy. Over time, the scrolls have become prized for the quality of their imagery.

Turkey was an adventure to be sure.  We spent most of the week in Istanbul, which was at times trying (weather, much of the food, pushy tourist-hungry shop owners), at times delightful (Museum of Innocence, fresh fish sandwiches on the Bosphorus, the Spice Market, Turkish bath at Cagaloglu Hammami [well, delightful for me.  My husband has a very different story!], Topkapi Palace), and at times absolutely transcendent (Hagia Sophia, Blue Mosque, whirling dervishes).  My favorite spot in the city was easily the Basilica Cistern, an ancient underground waterkeep, filled with columns and carp and darkness and mysterious Medusa heads:

And I must thank Laura Battle for insisting we go there!  I'm not sure we would have made it otherwise, and it was utterly otherworldly.  If it were in my own city, I would visit it all the time.

We also took a day-trip to Selcuk in the countryside, to see Ephesus and its environs, and it was glorious glorious glorious.  We visited Mary's alleged final home, the ruins of the ancient city of Ephesus, and I got to make a lifetime-in-the-making pilgrimage to the site of the Temple of Artemis:

 

Words can't describe how it felt to be there and get to make a small offering of flowers and thanks to a goddess I've loved my whole life.  And though the only remains of the temple are one reconstructed column and a few other bits of marble, the charge there was tremendously holy.  I was especially moved by how wild of a place it's become - marshland full of geese and sweet, free-roaming dogs, and a stork's nest on top of the column.  So perfect for Artemis Ephesus.  And I couldn't believe how both this site and the city of Ephesus were virtually unguarded and thoroughly accessible to visitors.  You could walk up and touch all of the ruins, explore archways and building facades, and clamber over broken columns, - there were even people sitting on them like benches! - and the city was full of feral but gentle cats:

I wish we had more time in Selcuk, but I'm so grateful for the day we did have there.  Unforgettable.  Many more Turkey photos here, if you're curious.  Haven't gotten around to captioning them, but you'll get the flavor at least.

After two weeks of travel, I'm a bit behind on posts, emails, life in general.  Thank you for your patience with me while I catch up.  And more updates forthcoming!

Londoning

I'm in London for a few days, then off to Istanbul, so blogging may be a bit sporadic over the next two weeks.

For those also in London, make sure you stop by Treadwell's on Wednesday at 7pm to celebrate the hot-off-the-presses arrival of Abraxas issue 3.  Should be a warm and wooly gathering.

I got to spend a bit of time at the British Museum yesterday, communing with Dr. Dee's spirit tools in the incredible wunderkammer-style Enlightement room, and then being dazzled by the Living and Dying exhibition in the Wellcome Trust Gallery.  Glorious.

More soon, and thanks for hanging in while I'm away.

Year of the Witch, explained

Chad Merritt

Early last year, with all of the 2012 Mayan Calendar End-of-Days hubbub reaching fever pitch, I thought it best to figure out something to look forward to: after all, the apocalypse can be such a drag, darling.  Yes, the world is supposed to end, but what next then?  Surely there had to be a light at the end of the voidant tunnel.  So a few months ago, I proclaimed to my friends and readers that 2013 would be the Year of the Witch - a statement made with equal parts sincerity and salt. 

The numerological symbolism was obvious of course: 13 moons in a year, 13 fertility cycles, 13 witches in a coven.  It’s a number considered unlucky and unlovely for so long, we’ve seemed to have forgotten why, while still obliterating it from our tallest buildings.  And so it’s a number inherently bound up in feminine magic, and thus represents a deification of something persecuted; a profanity resacralized, unsullied and crowned.

The archetype of the witch is long overdue for celebration.  Daughters, mothers, queens, virgins, wives, et al. derive meaning from their relation to another person.  Witches, on the other hand, have power on their own terms.  They create.  They praise.  They commune with nature / Spirit / God/dess / Choose-your-own-semantics, freely, and free of any mediator.  But most importantly: they make things happen. The best definition of magic I’ve been able to come up with is “symbolic action with intent” – “action” being the operative word.  Witches are midwives to metamorphosis.  They are magical women, and they, quite literally, change the world.

Amazingly, though not surprisingly, as soon as I named 2013 the Year of the Witch, I began to see synchronicities and sympathetic signs all around me.  This year marks the 40^th anniversary of Roe v. Wade, and the 50^th anniversary of The Feminine Mystique, two of the past century’s most quake-making reclamations of female power.  Obama’s inaugural civil rights incantation of "Seneca Falls, Selma, Stonewall" (“...and Salem,” a friend of mine half-joked), began with the name of one of the most pivotal women’s rights gatherings in history.  This year, four women were sworn into all of the “Live Free or Die” state’s top government seats. And Hillary Clinton, arguably the most powerful woman in American history, ended her tenure as Secretary of State last month with the following words:

“If women and girls everywhere were treated as equal to men in rights, dignity, and opportunity, we would see political and economic progress everywhere. So this is not only a moral issue, which, of course, it is. It is an economic issue and a security issue, and it is the unfinished business of the 21st century.”

Already this year, we’ve seen an unprecedented occurrence of powerful women emanating through our screens.  The 70^th annual Golden Globes were hosted by two women for the first time; Tina Fey and Amy Poehler are the respective stars of their decidedly feminist TV shows, and two awards were given to Lena Dunham, the creator and star of her own appropriately enough named show, GIRLS.  Tavi Gevinson (a real “voice of a generation”) publicly declared that she believes in magic on her ever-more popular online teen girl magazine, Rookie.  The Super Bowl - the most watched television event in America - had entertainment exclusively by women (and all African American women to boot).  And whether or not Beyonce’s half-time hand gesture was or was not an Illuminati sign is less interesting to me than the fact that the triangle is also the symbol of the triple goddess.  Do I think that’s what she intended?  Almost definitely not.  Yet there it was, flashing in front of millions of eyeballs, then self-replicating endlessly in a digi-jungle of tweets and animated gifs.  Symbols are tricksters.  Sometimes they speak in the subtlest ciphers.  And sometimes, they bubble up in the collective cauldron via a black-leather-clad demi-goddess for all the world to see.  And witch stories are being told all around us this year.  Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters, American Horror Story: Salem, Beautiful Creatures, Oz the Great & Powerful, are just a few titles that are slated for release in 2013.  It’s not that we haven’t had centuries of these stories preceding us, but it seems we are witnessing a witchly tipping point.

It’s long been considered that one of the primary symbols of feminine magic is the snake.  There’s Eve’s serpent of course, but also the Minoan snake goddess, Medusa, Mami Wata, & Ix Chel to name but a few.  Snake magic corresponds to the holiest cycle there is: Life, death, resurrection.  Like a snake each month, fertile women shed their own inner skins.  Double snakes show up in esoteric systems around the world - ouroboros, caduceus, kundalini, Quetzalcoatl, the naga, the yin-yang - and they symbolize the life force (Read Jeremy Narby’s The Cosmic Serpent if you want to trip out about how this all maps onto DNA).  They writhe together in the balance of opposites, holding the tension of, well, everything, between their coils.  Snakes channel the energies of the Great Mystery.  They’re associated with the underworld, the moon, ancient wisdom.  And guess what this Chinese New Year will usher in on February 10th: Yup, the Year of the Snake.  The Black Water Snake, to be exact.  You can bet that when I heard about this, it made my third eye bug out.

I know some of you are thinking: but what about the men?  Can’t males be witches?  Isn’t matriarchy just as bad as patriarchy? 

Well, that’s the beauty of an archetype: it can be embodied by anyone, regardless of age, gender, looks, background.  Girls are taught from the time they’re born to empathize with both male and female characters.  When I was growing up, I didn’t only want to make out with David Bowie (hello, Labyrinth): I also wanted to be David Bowie.  I could relate to the Holdens & Morpheuses & Bernard Mickey Wrangles as much as I could to the Phoebes & Rose Walkers & Princess Leigh-Cheris.  And we’re starting to see a new generation of boys who instinctively do the same.  Black and silver Easy-Bake Ovens and gender-neutral Harrod’s toys help, but so do parents who take all of their kids to watch Artemisian heroines like Merida and Katniss flinging their arrows.  And there are certainly plenty of adult men who have been embracing the way of the witch.  On a blatant level, I can’t help but notice that each spell crafting class I teach has more male attendees than the last.  But we also have leaders like Al Gore and Nicholas Kristof and Richard Branson and Prince Charles loudly championing environmentalism and women’s rights.  They are helping to usher in an age of higher consciousness and responsibility, and, though they probably wouldn’t use these words themselves, they’re positively swimming in yin.

And so, this is the year when I predict we will all more fully channel the spirit of the witch.  Honoring the earth and our bodies; shifting away from mass-market medicines and agri-business toward natural healing and whole foods; sharing our resources rather than focusing on mere accumulation of goods; collaborating and communicating more openly; helping to elevate women and girls to equality all over the world: these are all grand workings of feminine magic that we are manifesting together.

So for 2013, I wish you more witching.  More opportunities to claim your power, to slough off old skin, to ritualize your life.  May your year have you feeling more attuned to the rhythms of nature, more connected to one another, and more plugged into planet and purpose.  The apocalypse has happened, my friends, and it’s still happening.   Our task at hand is to bring about the end of the old world, but then to create something vital and shining and new.  Instead of four horses, we’re riding in on brooms.

Please Donate to Phantasmaphile!

Hello, Phantasmaphiles.  As some of you know, I've been maintaining this blog since October of 2005.  In these 7+ years, despite being approached numerous times, I've resisted embedding any sort of advertising on the site or in the RSS feed, and I'd love to keep on keeping on.  Though the opportunities and experiences Phantasmaphile has brought me thus far have been priceless, I do lose money every month paying for site upkeep, between Typepad & Dreamhost fees, which together total $346.80 per year. This blog has been an absolute labor of love, and I plan on continuing it for as long as possible.  My hope isn't even to make a profit, merely to break even.  Rather than starting to have ads here to offset my costs, I thought I'd first ask you Phantasmaphilic readers if you'd consider donating to the site.  Any amount would be a great help, though just for some perspective, $28.90 would help me pay for one month of hosting fees.  You can donate by clicking the friendly yellow button below, or on the upper right corner of the site, or by clicking here:

Thank you for your support now and always, and long live art + magick!

New Site!

Have a look at my sparkling new web site - just in time for the End of Days!  I'll still be blogging here per usual, just needed one place to house my various experiments and adventures.  Big thanks to Michelle Enemark for her beautiful design and dear patience.  And a very Happy Solstice to you and yours. 

Arthur, again

While I excitedly posted about Arthur's rise from the ashes here already, I feel compelled to crow about it again, having just finished reading my copy of the new issue last night.  First, let's talk content.  It manages to pack an impressively powerful punch in 16 (giant) pages, with pieces about occult ritual artist Frank Haines, oneiric comicsmith Rick Veitch, and Philly fingerpicking legend Jack Rose.  It also brings back old favorites, like Nance Klem's Weedeater column, Byron Coley & Thurston Moore's ars obscura reviews, and writing by the Center for Tactical Magic.  One of the barometers for me re: how much I'm enjoying reading something is how many notes it makes me take.  By the time I was done with this issue, I had a list 15 bullets long, with names of albums and books to check out, phrases I dug, and insights I was brought to.  Arthur is as inspiring as ever, to put it mildly.

Looks-and-feelwise, it's a beaut.  Released on newspaper in gembright ink and illustrated by today's finest fringe-gilders, it reminds us why print is still king.  Arthur in its new form is big and bold and wonderful to hold in your hands, preferably while accompanied by a mug full of tea and a lap full of felines.  Order your copy here.  

Viva la Arthur!

Arik Roper

Smashing good news: your favorite alt-periodical and mine, Arthur, is coming back from the dead.  In a stroke of numerological grace, it'll be issue 33 coming out on December 22, 2012, and if that's not an equation for resurrection than nothing is.  Here's what editor/cosmic overlord-in-chief, Jay Babcock, has to say about it:

After a four-year sabbatical (faked death?), your beloved revolutionary sweetheart Arthur returns to print, renewed, refreshed, reinvigorated and in a bold new format: pages as tall and wide as a daily newspaper, printed in color and black and white on compostable newsprint, with ads only on the back cover(s). Amazing!

In partnership with Portland, Oregon’s Floating World Comics, Arthur’s gang of goofs, know-it-alls and village explainers are back, from Bull Tonguers Byron Coley and Thurston Moore to radical ecologist Nance Klehm to trickster activists Center for Tactical Magic to gonzoid political commentator Dave Reeves to a host of new, fresh-faced troublemakers, edited by ol’ fool Jay Babcock. You want a peek at the contents? Sorry, compadre. That would be saying too much, too soon. Wait ’til Dec. 22, 2012: that’s right—THE DAY AFTER THE NON-END OF THE WORLD!

Please keep in mind… Arthur is no longer distributed for free anywhere. Those days are (sadly) long gone. Now you gotta buy Arthur or you won’t see it. Our price: Five bucks cheeeeeep!

Arthur No. 33

Broadsheet newspaper, 15″ x 22.75″

Available Dec. 22, 2012

NOW YOU MAY PRE-ORDER ARTHUR NO. 33 HERE.

Retailers: Contact us for the information you require on ordering mass quantities.

I have already pre-ordered my copy, and heartily suggest you do the same.  Welcome back, Arthur!  This is big, beautiful news indeed.

7 Years of Phantasmaphile

Remedios Varo "Exploracion de las fuentes del Rio Orinoco" 1959

Seven years ago today, I decided to try my hand at this then strange "new" medium.  I didn't know how long I'd keep it up, nor could I have predicted the many wonderful ways it would change and enrich my life.  This blog has brought me so many incredible friends and experiences -- and opportunities to take it from the digital to the material, via art shows I've curated, classes I've taught, lectures I've given, and articles I've been invited to write.  It's led me to become the Associate Editor of Abraxas Esoteric Journal, and led me to a few other projects which I'll be announcing here soon.  I'm excited to see what other adventures await.  And I'm so very grateful to you for showing up - both here on the blog and in person.  Thank you thank you THANK YOU.  It means the world to me to have your interest and support.

It feels strange to be typing this now, from my couch in Brooklyn on a Monday, as Hurricane Sandy swirls closer.  The wind is picking up, rain is coming down, and NYC has groaned to a stop.  Observatory, the arts and events space I co-founded, is in Zone A - an evacuation area that's threatening to have a massive flood, thanks to its proximity to the infamous Gowanus Canal.  Please send good thoughts that there won't be too much damage, and that our space will stay safe and dry.  I'm currently still planning on leading my Samhain/All-Soul's ritual workshop there on Thursday, but will certainly keep you posted if that has to be canceled.

In the meantime, I feel fortunate to be home today with my darlings, both human and feline, rather than across the country as originally planned.  Our fingers (and toes and eyelashes) are crossed, and our spirits are high.  May everyone else on the east coast be so lucky.

Rosarium Blends

Well, I'm back from the Esoteric Book Conference, and it could not have been a more sublime weekend.  Huge thanks to its masterminds, William Kiesel and Catamara Rosarium, for allowing me to give my Occult in Modern Art 101 lecture there.  It was such an honor, and a total blast.  The entire conference was filled to the brim with incredible presentations, a book fair (where I showed immense restraint, only purchasing William's brilliant tome, Magic Circles in the Grimoire Tradition), an art show, and of course many, many truly inspiring people. 

As an added bonus, Catamara gifted me with a sample from her decadent oil and incense line, Rosarium Blends.  She had me choose a random vial from a bag (she called it "oilmancy" which I adored), and I was thrilled to find the HermAphrodite perfume blend in my hand, as I'd been coveting it from afar for months now.  As I've mentioned many times here before, the rebis is a sacred personal symbol for me, and one I was working with all weekend - so selecting this particular blend was a stroke of magick indeed.  Have a look at her description:

HermAphrodite has deep, intense sensual notes that open up and reveal themelves to you as they alchemicalize with your skin.  HermAphrodite is the Divine union of Hermes and Aphrodite, a potent love charm and aphrodisiac.  This aromatic love charm is devised to help aid in finding truth in individual happiness, to elevate spirits and to explore the union of love within and without. 

HermAphrodite perfume is always created and charged on Wednesdays, the day of Mercury during the hour of Venus when the Moon is Waxing Fullest.

Ingredients: Benzoin, Anise, Vervain & Myrtle~

And all of her other perfumes, oils, incenses, and ritual objects are crafted with the same extraordinary level of care and meaning.  I can't wait to order more.

Thank you, Catamara!

Comings, goings, and beyond

Lots bubbling in the cauldron at the moment, so I figured I'd just list everything out here. 

First off, I'm excited to announce a new workshop I'll be leading at Observatory next Friday at 7:30pm.  Please email me if you'd like to attend, as space is limited:

Witches’ Thanksgiving: An Autumn Equinox Workshop

Remedios Varo “Still Life Reviving” 1963

A Class and Celebration with Pam Grossman

Date: Friday, September 21st
Time: 7:30-9pm
Admission: $20
Presented by Phantasmaphile

***You must RSVP to phantasmaphile [at] gmail.com if you’d like to attend, as space is limited

The Autumn Equinox  – or Mabon -  is a time of harvesting and celebration.  Often called “Witches’ Thanksgiving,” it’s a prosperity holiday which asks us to gather with one another to count our blessings, connect, and re-balance.  The nights are about to become longer, and soon we’ll be turning inward.  But first, let us reap the rewards of summer and manifest future good fortune.  Tonight, we’ll do ritual and spellcrafting to give thanks for what we have, attract even more positivity and possibility, and ready ourselves for the upcoming shadow season.  And of course, we’ll end with some feasting!

Please bring:

-A bit of food or drink to share

-Any altar objects you like.  These can be decorative (Thanksgiving and autumnal decor of any kind is welcome), and/or personal objects which you’d like to have charged

-A candle and holder

-A cushion, pillow, or fabric, as we will be sitting on the floor (chairs will be available for those who need).

Note-taking is welcome.  This workshop is open to men and women, novices and advanced practitioners alike.

 

And don't forget about Amy Hale's fantastic presentation coming up at Observatory in October:

Dawn’s Left Hand: The Art of Ithell Colquhoun and Mid-20th Century British Occulture

Ithell Colquhoun

An illustrated lecture with Amy Hale
Date: Friday, October 5th
Time: 8pm
Admission: $10
Presented by Phantasmaphile

Until recently, Ithell Colquhoun was a footnote in the history of the Surrealist movement, but her enormous body of art and writings show her to, in fact, be one of the most prolific and unusual occult thinkers of the twentieth century.  Her dedication to the Hermetic arts brought Colquhoun into contact with some of the most important movements and key occult thinkers in Britain during her life, including Thelema and the OTO, Witchcraft, Masonry, Golden Dawn, alchemy, Martinism, and Druidry.  This illustrated talk will show how the key trends and figures of twentieth century British occulture directly influenced and intersected with the body of work of an important artist and seeker.

Amy Hale is an Anthropologist specializing in contemporary Celtic cultures with an emphasis on Cornwall and esoteric cultural history.  She is the co-editor of New Directions in Celtic Studies (2000) and Inside Merlin’s Cave: A Cornish Arthurian Reader (2000) in addition to writing over 30 other articles ranging in topic from Neo Druidry to politics and occult culture.  She is the past co-editor of the Journal of the Academic Study of Magic (with Susan Johnston Graf), and is working on a biography and several other projects related to the life and work of Ithell Colquhoun.

On a completely unrelated note, Channel Thirteen is airing The Met's entire Ring Cycle this week, every night at 8pm.  My sweettart and I watched the making-of documentary last night, and it was absolutely fascinating and totally inspiring.  Robert Lepage's stage design is stunning, an incredible testament to the power of technology married with unfettered imagination. 

Lastly, I'm polishing up my Occult in Modern Art 101 presentation which I'll be giving at the Esoteric Book Conference in Seattle this weekend.  I hope to see some of you there, it looks to be an exceptional gathering.

Sciences Occultes #1

I've written about Sciences Occultes before when they released their issue #0.  It's a beautifully printed, full-color magazine that features fashion, art, and articles for those with a decidedly witchy aesthetic - albeit a very contemporary one.  Well, their fall issue #1 is available for pre-order now, and I suggest you snatch up a copy fast before it, too, sells out.  I'm honored to say I have an article in this issue about Samhain traditions, just in time for the shadow season.  The rest of the content looks wonderful, and I'm thrilled to be in such great company.  Here's a description:

Sciences Occultes Magazine #1

Limited Edition. Pre-order now to be sure to have yours !
Edition Limité. Réservez maintenant pour être sur d’avoir votre copie !

Sciences Occultes is a quarterly magazine about photography, fashion and Arts in general who tries to offer a view on the invisible side of things. (120 pages)

Text : English and French

Sciences Occultes est un magazine trimestriel traitant de photographie, de mode et d’Arts en général, qui essaye d’offrir une vision de la partie invisible des choses. (120 pages) 

Texte : Français et Anglais 


Features : 

Emerging photographer : Krystyna Curtis

Emerging artist : Martine Johanna
Emerging brand : Under The Pyramids
Interview : Amanda Charchian
Portfolio reviews : Jazmin Sanz, Megan Brim, Melchior Tersen, Héléna Aguilar Mayans

Fashion editorials : Dave Tada, Joshua Bates, Maria José Castillo
Tourisme : South Korea by Kim Inchul
Traditions : Pam Grossman

*15 Euros + Shipping fees / 15Euros + Frais de ports

That stunning cover image is by Martine Johanna.  Pagan art nouveau, c'est chic! 

The Hero Project

Consistent readers of this blog know that I am a hardcore mythology dork.  So when I heard about Go Go Dynamo's Hero Project Kickstarter, I knew I had to back it.  In a nutshell, these guys are aiming to make a line of action figures which celebrate characters from the mythology of different cultures, thus creating a lofty and magical alternative to the glut of toys which often promote poor values - or are just plain boring.  As they put it:

THE IMPORTANCE OF HEROES

For many years, we've been making the toys that you and your kids play with from Star Wars to Pokemon, from Beyblade to Jurassic Park.  Sometimes, it's easy to write-off action figures as toss-away replicas of whatever movie that might be hot at the moment. But action figures play an important role in children's social development. They are pathways for kids to act out their fantasies, to work out for themselves the differences between right and wrong and to push at the boundaries of their blossoming imaginations.

Hero stories play that very same role in our societal development. They inspire us to reach higher, walk taller and overcome our daily challenges. Their stories bring us together in ways that no other medium can. They are the source code for what makes us human. Who are your heroes?

A CALL TO ACTION

"Why are there no toys of the great epics of India?"  Asked casually at a neighborhood get-together, those words posed a very powerful question. Not just about the Indian epics, but about all world stories. 

Why ARE modern stories treated with more importance than our traditional stories? Do regional heroes like Beowolf, Quetzalcoatl, Alibaba, or Monkey deserve anything less than to be brought to life in vivid technicolor using the same level of care, quality and vibrancy of Spider-man or Darth Vader?

The universe had presented us an opportunity for a adventure of our own. Kids  should have the opportunity to discover these stories for themselves. It was a calling that we just had to answer. And so, the Hero Project was born.

Their first design - and the figure you will receive if you pitch in - is Rama:

Culturally, Rama was the best place to start. He is the perfect embodiment of the value and majesty of the world's cultural stories. The Ramayana is an amazingly magical story, loved around the world. Like many modern fantasies, it's filled with magical beings, vile demons, an epic journey through exotic locales, and an earth-shaking final battle. But, it is also a tale filled with the human stories that sometimes get overshadowed with bombast- acts of duty, honor, faith, devotion, that exemplify what Rama, as a hero and role model mean to billions. He typifies the Heroic Ideal.

The challenge of bringing him to life was daunting. Each person has his or her own relationship with the Ramayana and being true to each is nearly impossible. We redesigned him many times. What started out as a somewhat westernized or classical approach over time evolved to incorporate an aesthetics that was more grounded in the east. What we decided is that we need to design him for both the people who already know and love Rama, but also the people who have yet to meet him. Where we ended up, hopefully is something timeless, that can appreciated by the entirety of the world.

Looks/sounds awesome, no?  And they've got plans for Quezalcoatl, Sinbad, Hanuman, Horus, and more. But what really set me over the edge into wanting to help these guys is that they were extremely receptive to my feedback regarding the need for powerful female protagonists.  And according to their recent Kickstarter update, I'm not the only one who felt this way.  Happily, they came up with some amazing designs for some mythic heroines, including Athena, Bastet, Oya, and Pele (and here's hoping for an Artemis!):

I'm so impressed by their responsiveness to this request, their impeccable artistry, and by the scope of this project at large.  If you, too, want to see these inspiring, mythic figures come to life, then please support the Hero Project Kickstarter, and/or help spread the word!

SF to LA and vicee-versee

In front of the PRS

So.  California.  We squeezed a lot of wonders into a relatively short amount of time, saw loads of pals, ate (way too much) incredible food.  Here's a list of some highlights from our trip:

-  So much goodness in the Mission thanks my BFF Shiwani and her husband Jeff, including Anthony's Cookies, Gravel & Gold, Bi-Rite Creamery, Dog Eared Books, ohhhh, the list goes on.  We made some awesome music discoveries, too.  Picked up Angus Martin's gorgeous franco-caribbean album, Le Demimonde, at Gypsy Honeymoon - and had a nice chat with him as well:

And we picked up a slew of albums at the evermazing Aquarius Records, including Emily Jane White's exquisite gothique-folk album, Ode to Sentience:

-  Lucasfilm / Skywalker Ranch:  My schweetheart loves the Star Wars movies (yep, all 6 of them) more than anyone you will ever hope to meet.  Now, I know what you're thinking: "No one's a bigger fan than my friend/brother/mother/me!" but I'm just going to save everyone some time here and say that you are absolutely effing wrong.  Suffice it to say, getting a private tour of Lucasfilm and Skywalker Ranch (thanks, Kerri!) was an absolute dream come true for him, and super wonderful for me as well.  Loads of film props, original movie posters from through the ages, Normal Rockwells, Maxfield Parrishes, Frank Lloyd Wright aesthetics galore.  Both locations are beautiful homages to American arts and crafts, and it was a total honor to get to spend the day exploring them.  And apparently we were one car-length away from George Lucas in the driveway!  I think I'm mostly glad we didn't get to see him, because I think my husband would have literally died on the spot.  The gift shop alone made him woozy.

-  Leonor Fini show at Weinstein Gallery: I wrote about this show previously, but what a joy to get to see it in person.  A huge thank you to Kendy for spending so much time with us, and being so gracious and welcoming.  The stories we were told about Leonor made me fall even more in love with her.  And of course the paintings were beyond the beyond.  Decades of her work under one roof!  Unprecendented!

-  Castle in the Air: I've been dreaming of visiting this beauty of a shop ever since I met Clint Marsh, who is one of the creative partners there.  Well, Clint had the nerve to move out of state, so I didn't get to ambush him as planned, but I did get to meet the shop's proprietor, Karima Cammell, who is basically the Fairy Godmother of the Creative Urge, as well as an author in her own right.  She couldn't have been more warm or generous, and her shop is a fantastical, jewelbox duplex, filled with rare paper goods, craft supplies, unique books, and romantic, imaginative artwork.  She holds classes in the upstairs gallery, so if you are ever in Berkeley, you should definitely sign up for one.

-  Tail of the Yak:  Well, we got here exactly 2 minutes before the shop closed, but it was a heavenly two minutes!  I'll have to make it back there sometime and dig through their elegant gifts from other lands.

-  Winchester Mystery House:  The story goes that this house was built by an incredibly wealthy woman, who communed with spirits, and grieved her husband and daughter's deaths for years on end.  She was told in seance that her home was never to be completed, so it was remodeled over 600 times, has nearly 200 rooms, and contains lots of occurrences of the number 13, staircases that lead to nowhere, secret doors, and windows for spying.  It was cool to see, though there isn't much furniture to speak of, so it was mostly walking through an empty, batty old house.  With a better tour guide than the one we had, I think it could have been even cooler.

-  Pacific Coast Highway:  What to say.  Unbelievably, breathtakingly gorgeous, particularly Big Sur and Carmel-by-the-Sea, as well as the lovely, foggy town of Cambria.  We ate in lots of great restaurants, did a ton of driving, and mostly just listened to music in the car and swooned at the scenery.  Highlights of our travels include stopping at Pfeiffer Beach, which is a bit hidden away down a road of majestic redwoods, and contains purple sand:

...and the requisite stops to the kitsch-tastic Madonna Inn:

...and the extravagant Hearst Castle:

- LA was a blast as well.  I had an appointment at the Philosophical Research Society, and can't thank Dr. Harris and Edie enough for allowing me to pour through so many rare, esoteric books.  Seriously, this place is the library of my dreams, with the most incredible collection of tomes on mysticism, art, and magic.  Heaven on earth.  It was such a treat to hear anecdotes about Manly P. Hall, and to put our heads together regarding some interesting projects (more on that another time!)  And of course we had to go to the Museum of Jurassic Technology.  I hadn't been there in about 5 years, and it's amazing how they've grown, including some wonderful new displays, such as a 3D film about Athanasius Kircher I don't recall seeing last time, and their Moroccan-style roof aviary!  We ended our LA leg of the trip, appropriately enough, with a jaunt around the Hollywood Forever Cemetery.  Cause that's how we roll.

Well, there you have it, out of order and roughly sketched.  I feel as though I'm forgetting about 77 other tidbits, but that's a pretty good overview I should think, sans loads of meals and silly times with lots of our fabulous friends.  I'm longing to be back there already.

Magick Mags

Cover art by Hanna Tuulikki

We were away in Hudson for the long weekend, staying at our friends' lovely country house.  It was sheer heaven, especially lying on a picnic blanket beneath a shady maple tree, drinking rosy cava, and getting some long overdue time to read and breathe.  It was a perfect setting to read the latest issue of Magpie Magazine, a beautifully crafted, 96 page full-color publication that focuses on folk culture.  This issue's theme is Metamorphosis, and features short stories, poems, and artwork with whimsical nature-magick elements, as well as articles about visionaries like Leonora Carrington and the founder of the Museum of British Folklore.  There are also music reviews and a bonus compilation CD with tracks by Larkin Grimm, Julia Kent (formerly of Rasputina), and many more.  Highly recommended.

On a related note, I just learned of another intriguing sounding magazine out of France called Sciences Occultes.  It's described as "...a quarterly magazine about photography, fashion and Arts in general who tries to offer a view on the invisible side of things. (112 pages)," and the first issue will feature an interview with Ellen Rogers, art by Cendrine Rovini, fashion editorials, and much more.  Looks gorgeous: 

I pre-ordered my copy, and suggest you do the same soon, as they're selling out fast.

Phantasmaphile in your ears!

I've been featured on a few podcasts recently, talking about art and magic and my current group show, Sigils & Signs.  It's been a blast to get to wax lyrical with some of the finest minds in esoteric culture, and I'm thankful to all my hosts for inviting me.

First up was Expanding Mind on the Progessive Radio Network.  This show was recorded live, and is hosted by the brilliant tech-gnostic, Erik Davis, and the bewitching Maja D'Aoust.  You can listen to our episode, "Art and the Occult," here.

I was also a guest on two of KMO and Olga K's podcasts, alongside "sober psychedelic" author, Peter Bebergal.  The conversation was pre-recorded, then sliced and interwoven throughout the two episodes.  Their first show, C-Realm, focuses on consciousness, and you can listen to my "Gooey Ritual and Prickly Magic" episode here.  Their second show, Psychonautica, focuses on psychedelic culture, and you can listen to me talk about ritual as an alternative to drugs here.

On a related note, Sigils and Signs is up through June 17th, so do check it out.  Please note that this weekend, it will be open on Saturday, but closed on Sunday.  Also, I plan on being at the show myself all day on Saturday, June 2nd, so do pop by that day if you'd like a personal tour of the show by me, or would like to simply say hello.  It would be wonderful to see you there.  (And for those who are far away, a gallery of show images can be viewed here.)

Please help the Morbid Anatomy Library!

Joanna Ebenstein

As some of you may know, my friend and Observatory founder, Joanna Ebenstein, also runs our incredible sister space, The Morbid Anatomy Library.  Unfortunately, due to a fire in the building and subsequent sprinklers going off, much of her amazing collection of books and curios has been damaged.  Please read her note below to find out how you can help her restore this unique and important NYC treasure:

As some of you might already have already heard, last Friday night, the building which houses my open-to-the-public Morbid Anatomy Library suffered a small artwork-related fire. The fire was quickly extinguished, but not before The Library suffered severe water damage from the building's fire sprinklers. The damage could have been much, much worse, and I am very grateful that we got off as easy as we did, but there is still much to be cleaned up and many books and artifacts to be replaced.

If you are interested in aiding our rebuilding efforts, here are some things you can do:

• Make a monetary donation; to do so, simply click here and then click on the black "Donate Here" button on the top right hand side of the blog
• Sponsor a book; Click here to see a list of damaged books; books purchased here will automatically ship directly to The Library and populate our sadly empty shelves.
• Donate new books or artifacts for the collection: Mailing Address: Joanna Ebenstein, c/o The Morbid Anatomy Library, 543 Union Street #1E, Brooklyn, NY 11215
• Donate time, talent, product, or artwork for our soon to be announced Benefit Party, taking place Saturday May 12; if interested, simply email me back
• Attend our benefit party taking place on May 12; stay tuned for more on that; it is sure to be a great one!
• Help spread the word: feel free to pass on this plea! More on the disaster can be found here

Thanks so much! And hope to see you soon at a bigger, better Morbid Anatomy Library very very soon!

Joanna

Thanks in advance for any assistance you may give her.

Mitch Horowitz's "Ouija" Episode of the Midnight Archive

Friend and frequent collaborator, Mitch Horowitz, is featured newest episode of Ronni Thomas' exceptional Midnight Archive web series, and he gives an insightful and entertaining summary of the history of Ouija boards.  It's a truncated adaptation of the Ouija talk Mitch gave at Observatory last year, so those that missed it can now watch this elegant, multi-media version.  Bravo to Mitch & Ronni!

Moonrise Perfume

Remember that Moonrise perfume that was custom-crafted for Observatory's LUNATION: Art on the Moon show by Julianne Zaleta of Herbal Alchemy?  Well lucky you, she's now selling a few of the bottles on Etsy.  Here's that divine description again:

The Greek goddess, Artemis, who represents the new moon, is portrayed in this fragrance by the addition of wormwood (an artemesia) in the top note, supported by bergamot and petitgrain. Luminous jasmine forms the basis of the heart along with honey and rose, and sandalwood and frankincense form the base chord.

On a related note, we have one(!) spot left for Julianne's Natural Perfume Making Workshop at Observatory happening on Sunday, March 25th, so drop me an email if you'd like to attend.

Happy BDay to me, Happy VDay to you!

Dorothea Tanning  "Birthday"  1942

I posted this painting three years ago on my birthday, but it seems fitting to repost it in light of the recent news.  Thinking of your birthday on mine, dear Dorothea.  Hoping my life is as filled with creative beauty as yours was.

Someone wished me a "Happy Solar Return," and I love the idea of a birthday being a returning: to oneself, to light, to our source of energy.  I'm feeling excited and energized by several projects I've got cooking, which I'll be announcing here soon.  And I am so grateful I've been able to share the last several trips around the sun with you all here.  Thank you for reading Phantasmaphile.

I want to wish a very happy birthday to art stars Judith Schaechter and Suzanne Gerber.  Only a few of us know what it is to have this peculiar and lovely birthdate.  And Happy Valentine's Day to my Valentine for Life, the darling and dashing Mr. Matthew Freeman.

I'll be celebrating my birthday this year via Observatory's Lunar-Themed 3rd Anniversary Fundraiser on Saturday.  Observatory has been such a gift in my own life (thank you, Joanna Ebenstein!), and I thank those of you who have visited it and supported its growth.  If you'd like to celebrate with me, information is here:

Observatory’s Lunar-Themed 3rd Anniversary Fundraiser Party

Yes, friends, we’re over the moon about our 3rd Anniversary!  Come celebrate with us, and help support your favorite interdisciplinarian art, science, & occult event space.

Date: Saturday, February 18th

Time: 8pm

Admission: $20

Check out our art show, Lunation: Art on the Moon, and then trip out to a Moon Phantasmagoria show by VJ Fuzzy Bastard. We’ll also be screening episodes from the Midnight Archive, a show featuring your favorite Observatory masterminds.

Libations will be provided courtesy of La Fée Absinthe.

There will also be:

The luminous MC Lord Whimsy!

Stellar giveaways courtesy of Kikkerland!

Out-of-this-world raffle prizes, including:

Gift certificates from the scrumptious SweetWolf’s and the delectable Palo Santo!

Moonrise Perfume from Herbal Alchemy!

30 Minute Divination Session with Kathy Biehl - Tarot or Astrology - your choice!

Audiobooks from Hachette!

Occult Book Set including an autographed copy of Mitch Horowitz’s Occult America (Bantam), and Manly P. Hall’s The Secret Teachings of All Ages (Tarcher/Penguin)!

Abraxas International Journal of Esoteric Studies with accompanying occult music CD!

Lunavision Ritual Tea Set from Rebis Remedies!

And so! much! more!  We look forward to seeing you there.

 

Phantasmaphile on Etsy

I was invited to do a Valentine's Day guest post on the Etsy blog, and it's up now.  It was so much fun to write, and a thrill to get to give some more much-deserved attention to some of my favorite artists - many of whom have been featured here before.  Thanks so much to Alison, and welcome Etsy readers!

Various and Sundry

Lots of tasty news to share with you, so apologies for the Phantasmaphilic potpourri:

First off, my darling husband, Matthew Freeman, has a workshop of his new theatre piece, in the great expanse of space there is nothing to see but More, More, More, which will be opening next week.  He has written and directed it, and it's a sort of avant garde language piece, very poetic and harrowing.  I keep referring to it as his Thom Yorke play.  Performances are Thurs Sept 29th, Fri Sept 30th, and Sat Oct 1st, all at 8pm for $10 admission, at the Brick Theater in Williamsburg:

 

Secondly, the newest episode of The Midnight Archive is up, and it features my frequent collaborator and friend, Mitch Horowitz, giving a brief sampling of the Occult New York Walking Tour we do here in NYC:

We are indeed planning more tours, and I'll keep you posted about them here.  In the meantime, you can check out Mitch in person at Observatory on Friday, October 21st, giving an illustrated lecture on the brilliant esotericist, Manly P. Hall:

Manly P. Hall and The Secret Teachings of All Ages

 

A Talk and Visual Presentation by Mitch Horowitz
Date: Friday, October 21st
Time: 8pm
Admission: $8
Presented by: Phantasmaphile

It is one of the strangest and most beguiling books of the twentieth century: The Secret Teachings of All Ages. Privately printed in 1928 by a 27-year-old occult scholar named Manly P. Hall, the table-top sized volume – brimming with arcane diagrams, otherworldly illustrations, and detailed entries on everything from Pythagorean mathematics and Egyptian geometry to the origins of the Tarot and the secret authorship of the Shakespearean plays – became one of the most successful underground books ever published. Passing through many printings and versions, including a compact “reader’s edition” in the twenty-first century, it reigns as the Encyclopedia Arcana of the modern age – a must-read for every acolyte of mythical traditions, esoterica, and the occult.

Who was the young and preternaturally gifted author of this massive and impactful work? And what were the circumstances behind the early genius of Hall, a man with little conventional schooling who went on to become the most influential occult voice of the last century? In this vibrant and intellectually lively evening, author Mitch Horowitz (Occult America) – who has written widely about Hall’s life and published the recent “reader’s edition” of The Secret Teachings of All Ages – explores the remarkable persona behind this mysterious tome.

Horowitz dissects the unusual career of Hall and explores his legendary status on the West Coast occult scene for most of the twentieth century. From Hall’s art-deco headquarters in Los Angeles’ Griffith Park neighborhood, the arcane scholar not only helped reignite the academic study of esoterica but made an impact on figures as diffuse as Bela Lugosi and Ronald Reagan (who actually quoted from Hall in his speeches). Horowitz also explores the circumstances surrounding Hall’s 1990 death, which is marked by persistent rumors of foul play. Finally, Horowitz considers the wide-ranging influence of The Secret Teachings of All Ages, including the book’s strengths and weaknesses, enduring mysteries, and seismically powerful, yet underappreciated, impact.

***Books will be available for purchase and signing

Mitch Horowitz is the editor-in-chief of Tarcher/Penguin and the author of Occult America (Bantam), which The Washington Post Book World called: “Fascinating…a serious, wide-ranging study of all the magical, mystical, and spiritual movements that have arisen and influenced American history in often-surprising ways.” Horowitz has written on alternative spiritual topics for The Wall Street Journal, U.S. News & World Report, CNBC.com, Boing Boing, and The Washington Post, where he recently explored the relationship between Manly P. Hall and Ronald Reagan. In 2003, Horowitz published the “reader’s edition” of The Secret Teachings of All Ages. He leads Observatory’s popular Occult New York Walking Tours and has discussed alternative spirituality on CBS Sunday Morning, Dateline NBC, and All Things Considered. Horowitz is currently writing a history of the positive-thinking movement, to be published by Crown. Visit him online at: www.MitchHorowitz.com.

 

Magic is in the air...!

Commune with the spirits on TV!

I realize I posted this before, but they've since expanded the scope of the show, so here's the updated version.  If interested, please don't contact me, as I'm just helping out the producers, but send a message to the email listed near the bottom.  Thanks!

************

SUBJECT: TV company looking for participants interested in working with mystical techniques to contact the invisible world:

Do you feel that you are on the right life-path?

Do you believe you have met your soulmate in this life?

Do you have an important emotional question that you would like to ask a deceased relative?

Do you feel that working with a spirit-channeler, a spirit-board expert, or a tarot card reader might be able to give you some answers?

We are looking for participants that would like to have an individual session with accomplished spiritual practitioners, and who are willing to share their authentic personal experiences on camera.

We are interested in folks who may have never worked with these metaphysical methodologies, but are willing to try these mystical procedures in the hopes of achieving answers from the great beyond. We welcome individuals, couples, and/or families interested in participating.

We are NOT seeking people who want to be reality-TV stars, or those interested in publicity or fifteen minutes of fame. We are ONLY looking for those with legitimate needs.

The TV program is a new documentary series searching for true first-person human experiences in various arenas of metaphysics, spirituality, and the paranormal.

The filming will be done in NYC. Filming currently anticipated to be done the week of July 25th, 2011 (subject to change).

Please email a photo of yourself and any co-participant(s), as well as a brief description of the question you hope to answer, and/or personal life issues you wish to address, and why you might be seeking mystical answers to uXp2011@gmail.com Please put in the subject line: Seeking Metaphysical Answers - NYC

If selected, participants are required to sign appearance releases, including guardianship releases for any minors. Participants will not receive any monetary compensation. Participants may be entitled to receive pre-approved expense reimbursement for direct out-of-pocket travel expenses incurred.

Ouija TV show looking for participants

Hi there.  Apologies for interrupting your regularly scheduled Phantasmaphiling, but this casting opportunity has presented itself, and I said I'd be happy to send it out to my readers to see if there is any interest.  If so, please read and follow the instructions below:

 

SUBJECT: TV company looking for participants interested in a doing a Ouija-board session:

Have you recently lost someone close to you that has passed away?

 

Was there something that you needed to say or hear from that person?

 

Do you have an important emotional question that you would like to ask the invisible world?

Do you feel that conducting a Ouija-board session might be able to give you some answers?

We are looking for participants that would like to have a monitored Ouija-board session with accomplished paranormal author and spirit-board expert Mitch Horowitz who are willing to share their authentic personal experiences on camera.

We are interested in folks who may have never worked with a spirit-board, but are willing to try this mystical procedure in the hopes of achieving answers from the beyond. We welcome couples, friends, and/or families interested in participating.

We are NOT seeking people who want to be reality-TV stars, or those interested in publicity or fifteen minutes of fame. We are ONLY looking for those with legitimate needs.

The TV program is a new documentary series searching for true first-person human experiences in various arenas of metaphysics, spirituality, and the paranormal. 

The filming will be done on the east coast – in the vicinity of NYC. Filming currently anticipated to be done the week of July 5^th, 2011.

Please email a photo or short video of yourself and your co-participant, as well as a brief description of the question you hope to answer, and/or the deceased person you have lost, and why you are seeking emotional closure to uneXplained@AR7Films.com

If selected, participants are required to sign appearance releases, including guardianship releases for any minors. Participants will not receive any monetary compensation. Participants may be entitled to receive pre-approved expense reimbursement for direct out-of-pocket travel expenses incurred.

 

I'm not involved in the production of the show or anything, just sending along to help out.  Sounds cool.

Away for a bit

I'll be away for a bit, on a belated honeymoon.  Blogging will be suspended until my return at the end of Feb.  Have a wonderful couple weeks.  XO

Tumbling

Just a quick note to tell you all I recently started a Tumblr page, so please have a look here.  I'm still maintaining this blog as is, and will be using Tumblr for more freeform, moodboard-style postings, and on a bit wider range of interests.  Hope you dig it!