Creation and self-creation: Jung, art and alchemy.
What is the link between artistic creation and the creation of self? To answer this question it is necessary to interpret this relationship as both self-creation, that is as "alchemy", understood in terms of an interior [1] as well as aesthetic process and more particularly surreal surrealistic.
In this respect, therefore, it is plausible to read the "Great Work" as a great work of art, in the initiate and see the artist par excellence - a "demiurge" of which the material to be molded rather than marble, canvas or the sound is his own being. In these terms, there becomes the role of instrument-art experiment by sublimation, by which is muffled by a transmutation of reality to surreality.
Alchemy is not so well understood that the processing of metals, but rather that of inner transformation, such as we presented the philosophical and psychological interpretation of Jung.
The alchemical work is rooted in ancient times, growing more or less hidden in different latitudes in Eastern society, Arab and Western Europe. The real beginning is perhaps traceable to Alexandria, and then arrive early Middle Ages, Paracelsus, and the Renaissance, Bruno, the seventeenth century and Bohemia, the nineteenth and twentieth centuries with the many literary references [2] and finally 'contemporary age in which there are numerous associations, by some scholars, including quantum physics and ancient alchemical and mystical-alchemical evidence [3] .
In its long history of alchemy, as well as the arts (music, painting, poetry and literature in particular) has entered into profound links with politics, philosophy, theology [4] , psychology [5] , magic [6] , medicine [7] , anthropology [8] , science [9] and religion [10] .
As for the painting, it is definitely established as the link between alchemy and the arts has always been primarily for reasons of unspoken balance [11] - the same as in Jung's Psychology and Alchemy [12] , uses many images to integrate the text, considering them essential parts of it, that is the explanation of the same [13] . In the preface of the same work, the Swiss psychiatrist says: "what the written word could express only imperfectly, or could not speak at all, the alchemist represented him in his figures, speaking, indeed, a strange language, but more often understand the philosophical concepts of its awkward " [14] .
Those images are not just pictures but actual archetypes, which act in a more subtle level in the human psyche. Mandalas and their "presence", are, according to Jung, the most eloquent example.
Also there is another aspect to be emphasized: the alchemy, seen as ahead of initiatory mystical and esoteric, rather than a set of theories is often presented as a set of experiences, which can be mental, physical or even metapsychical.
Also another reason emerges, historical, basantesi the fact that they intentionally made their alchemists and hermetic texts cryptic not to spread their secrets. That's one reason the famous character elitarietà esotericism and secrecy of all the same: certain knowledge was considered valuable and not spread to the masses. A famous alchemical motto reads: "will, dare, be silent" [15] .
For these reasons, therefore, for the purposes of a 'exegesis at this point is esoteric exoteric necessarily comes into play a more effective descriptive symbol.
That is, the image evokes. "The goal of the perfection of man leads to spiritual alchemy, which corresponds to the" sulfur ". This tight-religious interpretation can only occur in the form of symbols and images, because only in this form can represent the mystical vision of God " [16] . On the other hand also in the Gospel of Philip says: "art is not coming in this mono naked but dressed in symbols and images."
The philosophical aspect to think about refers to the Jungian concept of the self and the path to get to it: a possible attempt to overcome being and to achieve a real existential condition of the surreality-superhuman.
The intent of Breton to combine the two stages, dream and reality, into a single state of surreality [17] , can be achieved by location awareness proposed by the Swiss psychiatrist. The alchemist in fact, at least that came within the self, that reached the end of the Great Work, is an "awakened" to present himself at all times, both in dreams (lucid dreams [18] ), as in waking [ 19] . The awakening in fact, is above all an awakening in the dream and the dream (the one not yet transmuted) because that's where I act the archetypes, that's where he lives unconscious, which, according to Jung, plays a decisive role in creation of life conscious and rational [20] . And 'that the unconscious is re built a more conscious, which includes a biunità informed and transformed.
It 's just a dream from which you can get to wake up [21] .
And it is only from that Jung may well frame the reading of alchemy as initiatory path of inner transformation, because, as Eliade states: 'the alchymicum opus is in fact the discovery process, through which one becomes Self " [22] and again, "according to Jung, what the alchemists called" matter "was in fact their own mental life" [23] .
In this issue must be accompanied on the artist who creates because he too, according to Bachelard, is an alchemy - specifically painting, an alchemist of color, light, matter became (tasmutata) light and color but also a 'alchemist creating dreams: "Before performing work, the painter, like all creators, knows the dream of meditation, dream meditation on the nature of things. In fact, the painter lives so close to be in the world by the light, that it is impossible not to participate with all his being the incessant rebirth of the universe. The painting, more than any other art, is directly, blatantly creative " [24] . The resulting natural question that arises is this: creating, the artist creates just art or even re-creates himself through this experience? Or, in other words, the process is reversible at the same time? That is, the field created by him-transmuted, art work, modifying it affect him? In what terms? With what consequences? And he, in turn, creating, editing only and exclusively the canvases of his art or even the surrounding environment? In conclusion, the change is complete? "To contemplate is dreaming about? E 'understand? It is certainly not perceive. The eye that sees no dreams or at least seen in a different way " [25] . "Esoterically all goes direct object and subject overturn one another" [26] .
Lucio Giuliodori
[1] The American Ethan Allen Hitchcock (1798-1870), was one of the first to identify the "raw material" with the man himself and to propose, therefore, the Great Work as a path of psychic research and internal development. How Gebelein also asserts, he "proposed that historians of chemistry as Hermann Kopp had not understood the true goal of alchemy, in his opinion, the true subject of alchemy was the man and his object of perfection ' Man to be reunited with his divine nature. This interpretation of alchemy as a spiritual quest of themselves had an enormous influence on those later involved in alchemy. " H. Gebelein, Alchemy, Mediterranee, Rome 2006. p. 91.
[2] Just think of Goethe, Novalis, Blake, Meyrink, Yeats.
[3] In this regard, reference to the celebrated F. Tao of Physics CAPRA, Adelphi, Milano 1993, Translated by John Salio.
[4] Consider, just as an example of the practical interests of S. Thomas, exposed in the work Alchemy. Treatise on the Philosopher's Stone, care and translation of Paolo Cortesi, Newton, Roma 1996.
[5] It is impossible not to mention the transpersonal psychology and its pioneers Abraham Maslow, Roberto Assagioli, Stanislaw Grof and various research centers currently involved in this field such as the Faculty of Psychology at the University of West Georgia, where he teaches the same Grof.
[6] It 's interesting to consider the reality of two major research centers specialized in contemporary studies of this type, I refer to the Centre for the Study of Esotericism, University of Exeter and the Centre for History and Hermetic Philosophy, University of Amsterdam .
[7] Think of Paracelsus and his work Alchemy, the third column of medicine. Paracelsus, above all, against the traditional Galenic care of opposites and proposing instead, according to the principle of alchemical transmutation, substances whose effects produce the same disease, he anticipated the principles of homeopathy.
[8] One can not refer to the work of Carlos Castaneda, which has many similarities between his spiritual understanding shamanism and alchemy here.
[9] In this respect, besides the above mentioned link with quantismo, will certainly refer to the whole scientific tradition of the seventeenth century, with Newton and Boyle in the first place.
[10] "Many of the principles, ideas, alchemical symbols were incorporated by the other branches of knowledge, such as medicine, music and literature." C. Gilchrist, Alchemy, Xenia, Milano 1993, p. 6
[11] In 1937 Jacques Bergier encounters a mysterious character, an alchemist, which asks what is the hidden meaning of Art Direction: "You ask me to summarize for you in five minutes four thousand years of philosophy and efforts of a lifetime. In addition you ask me to translate the concepts in simple language to which this language does not fit. " J. Bergier, The Morning of the magicians, Mondadori, Milano 1997.
[12] CG Jung, Psychology and Alchemy, and Boringhieri Bollati, Torino 2008.
[13] Luigi Aurigemma better emphasizes the concept of Jung in the foreword to the text: "And because these experiences are by their nature poorly verbalized, it also includes easy to see why Jung has given in the book is so important to the iconography: that not only has end of decorative way, but it is true language integrated into the text, language that seems to add to the strength of the arguments that special and full of emotions that only the images for their spring from the deepest and darkest areas of psychic life and for their extreme variety and richness of imagination, seem to be able to convey and to allow. " L. Aurigemma, Introduction to CG Jung, Psychology and Alchemy, op. cit., p. XIII.
[14] [14] CG Jung, Psychology and Alchemy, op. cit., p. 3.
[15] "If it is true that someone passed on to science, still pursuing such practices, why should it manifest itself, to offer his workshop looks secular paradise?". E. Zolli, Aure, Marsilio, Venice 1999, p. 83.
[16] H. Gebelein, Alchemy, op. cit. p. 92. This reflection in turn refers to an interesting analogy with all the Slavic tradition of iconography, the icon as a manifestation of God and not as a religious framework. In this regard, see the fascinating essay Florenskij edited by Zolla, the royal doors (Adelphi, Milan 1999).
[17] "I believe the future solution of these two states, apparently so contradictory, that are the dream and reality, in a kind of absolute reality, of surreality, so to say." A. BRETON, Manifestos of Surrealism, Einaudi, Torino 2003, p. 20.
[18] See in this regard, F. SPECIAL, lucid dream, The Step editions, Vicenza 1999.
[19] Noted in this respect the exercise of Gurdjieff's famous wash the dishes. His students had to remember who they were at any time ("self-remembering"), even and especially in the daily activities more varied.
[20] See: CG Jung, The psychology of the unconscious, the translations and Celo Cucchiarelli Marco Balducci, Newton, Roma 2006.
[21] Do not include the dream in life is not considered as a whole nor fully understand. The role of the dream is also of utmost importance because the early alchemists, their dreams were taking their claims for an initial experiment, think of the famous visions for example Zosimus. See: Zosimus of Panopolis. Visions and awakenings, edited by Angelo Tonelli. Milano, BUR, 2004.
Since the dawn then, the chemistry had to do with the dream.
[22] M. Eliade, metal arts and Alchemy, translated by Francis Sircana, Boringhieri Bollati, Torino 2006, p. 169.
[23] Ibid, p. 170.
[24] G. Bachelard, The right to dream, op. cit.
[25] G. Bachelard, The poetics of reverie, Italian translation by Joan Silvestri Stevan, Daedalus, Bari 1972.
[26] E. Zolli, secret truths exposed in evidence, Marsilio, Venice 2003, p. 66.
PHOTO: The first three images belong to the series of Nuns Oleg Duryagin while the latter is Solutio perfecta Madeline Von Foerster.
