Art Theory/Opinion	Writing/Paintings	Writing/Paintings
English Text	English Text	German Text
After the End of Art	Death and Rebirth of Nature	Tod und Wiedergeburt der Natur
Post Modern Culture	The Hybrid Series
Art Market	Influence and Inspiration

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                                                                                    copyright 1996 Marlies Ihmels-Herget 

 

New Awareness
or
Death and Rebirth of Nature

by Marlies Ihmels-Herget (1996)

 

    Our western culture has gone through an enormous shift during this century (1900 - 2000). We can see these changes in every aspect of our lives. This transformation has a deeper meaning. There is an underlying structure which unites all of these changes in the different and seemingly separate aspects of our world. This structure is the concept of a trinity, composed of two opposites with a mediator. It also symbolizes unity in diversity. We perceive our world as being constructed of two extremes. To name a few:

 Order  -  Chaos

Culture  -  Nature

     Man  -  Woman

   Mind  -  Matter

    In the process to survive we create philosophies which move between these opposites. This century marks a shift in the position we had taken during the past 500 years.

    The painting is about this shift which, during the course of this century, has taken us to a more balanced world view. The underlying composition is based on three interlocking spheres which represent Mind, Soul, and Matter. Both sides are mental constructs of ours. The suppressed aspect of Matter on the right is represented by Nature. This passive female stands for the physical existence of the world. She has become a cliché; dead material to be used at convenience. The Intellect or Mind on the left portrays Philosophy, Energy and Science engaged in a dialogue. This places us in the center; we are the Souls.

 

Study - Drawing for New Awareness - graphite on paper - by Marlies Ihmels-Herget

 

    The scientific discoveries of this century have a profound effect on our perception of the universe and how it relates to our being. The suppressed matter aspect of the trinity has been revived on an intellectual level through the greening of the sciences: Theory of Relativity, Quantum Theory, Chaos Theory, and Gaia Hypotheses, to name a few shifts. The rebirth of Matter as equal to Energy is expressed by the glowing female. Her energy is from within opposed to physical energy through visible action. It is a hidden energy and is only apparent in the shadow of philosophy. The recognition of matter as energy is the essential cause of the cultural shift.

     The new balance within the trinity brings forth a revived spirituality not in the form of a new organized religion, but rather on an individual level. The subconscious, which had been suppressed into the dream world, is now free. It can be experienced through the recognition of synchronicity which has its bases in chaos theory. This is a new spiritual direction, which moves us beyond the ego needs of hair style and clothing. The painting is about the balance within us. About connecting Mind (left circle) and Matter (right circle), Future and Past, as we the Souls (middle circle) are living in the eternal present.

     The trinity has taken many forms since prehistoric times. Aspects of it have been suppressed and revived. The gender has changed from all female to all male, and it will change again as we try to determine who we are and how we want to represent ourselves.

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