Oracular Art and the Global Telecommunications Net
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Theoretical or philosophical paper Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Key points | Argues that the shaman, or specialist in archaic techniques of ecstasy, is the clearest model for contemporary artists seeking to communicate profoundly deep altered states of awareness to a wider audience, and that this ancient technique can offer insight into the hidden psychic core of the modern world. The main challenge is transcending the subjectivity of the oracular state to communicate within audiences' baseline frame of reference. |
Abstract
A s an artist exploring altered states of awareness since 1975, both solo and in tandem with shamanistic performance artist Kristine Ambrosia, I have been forced constantly to move between the actual experience of oracular states in performance art and the specialized researches necessary to communicate my experience and improve the quality of perception of my inner reality. My initial wave of research into transpersonal psychology, paranormal studies, neurophysiology and anthropology (see Bibliography for key texts) led me to the conclusion that the shaman, or 'specialist in archaic techniques of ecstasy' [1], provides the clearest model for the contemporary artist seeking to communicate profoundly deep states of altered awareness to a wider audience. The paradox of having to return to one of the most ancient psycho-physiological techniques and world-views in order to provide a meaningful insight into the hidden psychic core of the modem world is compounded by the innate difficulty of attempting to transcend the sheer subjectivity of the oracular state in order to communicate within the 'baseline' or non-altered frame of reference that most audience members bring to such a performance.