The Theosophical society has made large contributions towards the Arts since its conception. Its major contribution was during the advent of Abstraction during the turn of the last century from about 1890 to 1920, and this had followed on into the 1950’s and still is strong among some artist today. At about the 1910 Kandinsky, a Theosophist at that time, had been recognized as the artist who had made the first fully abstract painting
‘Russian born artist, Wassily Kandinsky, painted what he blithely named First Abstract Watercolour in Munich, Germany, in 1910. ………..’
‘In the East, artists such as Kasimir Malevich took off toward stark black on white geometric symbols to fuel his Suprematist movement while Piet Mondrian was gradually “wading into” abstraction of his own design with his ongoing study of trees, which ultimately ended in total abstraction but with a distinct set of “footprints” leading back to subjective painting. ………….but it was a ceremonial throwing down of the gauntlet declaring that this was the direction art would go in the twentieth century!’
Contributed by Lane, Jim
18 December 1998
First abstract painting 1910 Kandinsky (Theosophist)
Also during this time Mondrian, also a Theosophist had made major contribution to the progression of abstract art, and later even Jackson Pollock (1950) had made reference to Theosophical influences.
Mondrian minimalist painting
Jackson Pollock at work
John Algeo’s article for summary of artist influenced by Theosophy. For full article see siriperera.com: ‘Influences on ‘Art of the Invisible’ also invisible in contemporary Art History’
‘Artists who were influenced by theosophical and allied ideas include Jean Arp, Giacomo Balla, Joseph Beuys, Emil Bisttram, Serge Charchoune, Jean Delville, Theo van Doesburg, Arthur Dove, Marcel Duchamp, Paul Gauguin, Lawren Harris, Marsden Hartley, Jacoba van Heemskerck, Johannes Itten, Paul Klee, Yves Klein, Hilma af Klint, Franz Kupka, Kazimir Malevich, Brice Marden, Mikhail Matiushin, Georg Muche, Georgia O’Keeffe, Gordon Onslow-Ford, Jackson Pollock, Richard Pousette-Dart, Paul Ranson, Odilon Redon, Paul Serusier, and Jan Toorop.
Most significant perhaps are two giants of modern art, Wassily Kandinsky and Piet Mondrian. Kandinsky’s manifesto, Concerning the Spiritual in Art, is heavily indepted to H. P. Blavatsky and Theosophy, and his early efforts to free himself from the representational mode of painting were deeply influenced by the book Thought Forms by Annie Besant and Charles W. Leadbeater. Piet Mondrian was a long-time member of the Theosophical Society, and the whole body of his work is an effort to express certain fundamental theosophical concepts relating to the polarity of spirit and matter and the threefold nature of the ultimate world-stuff’
Also note the book, ‘Concering the spiritual in art’ by Kandinsky, ‘is heavily indepted to H. P. Blavatsky and Theosophy, and his early efforts to free himself from the representational mode of painting were deeply influenced by the book Thought Forms by Annie Besant and Charles W. Leadbeater.’
And this ain’t just bingo, as the Theosophical society, has made some major contributions to the way art has progressed especially in the last century. In a way it has done its duty to show the intangible to the masses through the arts, through its ‘masters’ of the modern art world. It is ironic how the ancients brought about the modern in art. You could almost say that the Theosophical society is ‘doing its thing’ for the universality of humankind to come into being and is it possible that its function to achieve this is really through the arts, as it has already revealed.
So the proposal for the art center at Adyar, India, the headquarters of the Theosophical Society, is to play up the art history of the contributions to the arts by the society, and enhance its image to the world and especially to the young, that the ancient wisdom can be ‘cool’.
This year Charles Saatchi, a collector of art and a deciding force in the art world in UK and the world had an exhibition of young artist, and one of the sculptures was titled Madame Blavatsky…. The sculpture was made in 2007, but widely showed in 2010 and that is today, right now, Theosophy still shows itself to the world through the arts.
Goshka Macuga Madame Blavatsky
2007
Carved wood, fibreglass, clothes, chairs
114.3 x 190.5 x 73.6 cm
So is the driving force of the message of Theosophy to the world today and in the near future to be through the arts and crafts, and music and literature etc. ( see John Algeo’s article on the contribution to the arts by Theosophy. http://www.austheos.org.au/tsia-article-theosophy-and-the-zeitgeist.html’
So the proposal for the art center, having observed the Adyar site is best for the ‘meditation hall’ to be the gallery for the works. To meditate on art and to meditate on life is the function of the meditation center. The ‘walkers’ through the society in the evenings and mornings pass this hall, will also make this an ideal place for paintings to be hanging. There are other events that can occur around this building. I gather it was at one time been a place to sit around tables placed in the grounds with sips of tea and discussions of the perfect state and if one was enlightened already or not. Also books could be sold here for those who stop by. Art could also be sold like the books with contributions divided between the society and the artist. So Theosophy is proud to continue to contribute to the arts today and to make the Society ‘cool’ to the young and up and coming, with texts about its contributions in the exhibition hall. For those who walk the grounds of the Theosophical Society today, who are not members, perhaps the cream of Chennai society, might be tempted to put down their cell phones for a few minutes, and look at some art, read some texts about the arts and the society, buy some books and perhaps some art. And who knows what might come of that in the future. If one of the tools of the message of the society in through the arts then it should be present everyday for all to see, of its place in the world for its contribution to the arts.
Also one other thing:
If the society could open some of its building/s on site for the arrangement of painting studios for both local and foreign artists to paint and then exhibit their works at the ‘Gallery’ meditation hall. Foreign artists I mentioned as artist could be sponsored by their respective governments to practice their art and contribute to local artists working together. This can happen for the November to February period during the School of Wisdom period when the days are cooler. The foreign artist will have the option to attend the school of wisdom classes. In the UK I know this can happen with grants from the Arts Council which could come as a donation to the society. And remember, to the art establishment of the world, the Art councils, the theosophical society is at its center to its development and has already shown its power to show what’s ‘new’ through its teachings, by the advent of abstraction during the last century. So what’s ‘new’ and what’s next for the contribution to the arts by the teachings of the Theosophical society? The KFI School when acquired by the society for its own use in 2014 could be a starting for a school of the arts in Adyar: painting, sculpture, music, dance etc. It will be a place of freedom to explore the possibilities in the Arts to look for the ‘new’. It could be a place where artists from around the world could come and teach and contribute. And The Society will move forwards and towards a single society through the Arts.
The existence of a reality that transcended the material world was precisely the selling point of Madame Blavatsky’s ‘secret doctrine’: ‘In the 21st century this earth will seem a paradise compared to what it is now,’ she wrote. ‘Literature, music and art are the first and most sensitive spheres in which the spiritual revelation will be felt.’ She should know: as she was an artist extraordinaire, not only in the visual arts, but an artist of all life: both the tangible and intangible worlds. (siri)
Theosophical Society Headquaters Adyar, India (with Pics): https://www.siriperera.com/?p=204