Myth and Mysticism in Art
How digging into our deepest personal myths connects us to everyone through our Art
This article originally appeared on my personal blog, Reflections of the Sovereign Artist, here.
Editor’s Note: In two days, this post will be locked and is available only to paid members because we don’t want this duplicate content on the open web in a way that might draw traffic away from the original post. You can always read the entire post here.
We are sharing this essay in The BoldBrush Letter because the underlying idea applies to all artists. Please enjoy.
Myth and Mysticism in Art
A few months ago, I received a comment on one my posts that shook me a little.
In part, the commenter wrote the following:
"All this mythical crap is just to sell books."
And, "I don’t believe in ghosts, aliens, sprits gods and mysticism. It is a waste of time."
Setting aside the fact that I've never sold a book (though, I admit, I wish to someday), after letting this comment marinate in my mind, I must say that I disagree with it. Myth and mysticism, whether one believes in the unseen world literally or not, are useful concepts, and even necessary elements, in creating art.
In fact, True Art is myth and mysticism, as Art is something that wells forth from the ineffable source within. And myth and mysticism, along with their associated symbology, represent our valiant attempts to express the inexpressible deep mystery inside.
When I think about great artworks of the ages such as Michalangelo's David, Homer’s Odyssey, The Lord of the Rings, The Creation of Adam, Starry Night, Harry Potter (yes I'm including it) – the Art that resonates deeply with people – it is myth.