Research Catalog

Title

Enchanted modernities : theosophy, the arts and the American West / edited by Christopher M. Scheer, Sarah Victoria Turner, James G. Mansell.

Publication

Lopen, Somerset, United Kingdom : Fulgur Press ; [Logan, Utah] : Nora Eccles Harrison Museum of Art, Utah State University, 2019.

Items in the Library & Off-site

Details

Additional Authors

• Scheer, Christopher M.
• Turner, Sarah Victoria
• Mansell, James G.
• Nora Eccles Harrison Museum of Art.

Description

x, 156 pages : illustrations (chiefly color); 33 cm

Summary

"'It is in America that the transformation will take place, and has already silently commenced' -- MADAME BLAVATSKY. With these words, written in The Secret Doctrine in 1888, Helena Blavatsky drew a direct connection to the dynamic energy of nineteenth-century Americanism and the Theosophical Society. She and her successors would specify the American West as the site for a rebirth and re-enchantment of humanity, drawing those seeking spiritual fulfilment outside of organized religion to the dramatic landscapes of California, Arizona, Utah, and New Mexico. The syncretic nature of Theosophy encouraged individualism in belief, fitting well the popular notions of freedom and personal agency used to characterize the American West. In 2014, the Nora Eccles Harrison Museum at Utah State University staged the first exhibition to explore artistic responses to the confluence of enchanted thought in the American West in the early twentieth century. Building on this research, 'Enchanted Modernities: Theosophy, the Arts and the American West' will be the first publication devoted to these relationships in art and music. Through a series of interlocked contextual essays, interviews, and interpretations of individual works by the exhibition's curators and invited scholars, this publication explores the role of Theosophical thought in fostering dynamic cultural networks in the region that redefine the relationship between enchantment and modernism"--supplied by publisher.

Alternative Title

Theosophy, the arts and the American West

Subject

• 1900-1999
• Art and religion > Exhibitions
• Theosophy > Exhibitions
• Music > Religious aspects
• Art, Modern > 20th century > Themes, motives
• Art, Modern > 20th century > Exhibitions
• Art > West (U.S.) > 20th century > Themes, motives
• Art > West (U.S.) > 20th century > Exhibitions
• Art
• Art and religion
• Art, Modern
• Art, Modern > Themes, motives
• Art > Themes, motives
• Music > Religious aspects
• Theosophy
• Künste
• Theosophie
• West United States
• USA > Weststaaten

Genre/Form

Exhibition catalogs

Note

• "This book stems from an exhibition organized by the Nora Eccles Harrison Museum of Art (NEHMA) at Utah State University, held between April and December 2014"--page 1.

Bibliography (note)

• Includes bibliographical references (page 149-155)

Contents

Preface / Katie Lee Koven -- Introduction: Theosophy, the arts and the American West / Christopher M. Scheer, Sarah Victoria Turner and James G. Mansell -- The world of Helena P. Blavatsky / Gauri Viswanathan -- Point Loma: American exceptionalism and the arts / Christopher M. Scheer -- Halcyon and the arts / Paul Ivey -- Painting portals on other worlds: the Transcendental Painting Group / Sarah Victoria Turner -- Equilibrium through dynamic industry: the music and art of Dane Rudhyar / Deniz Ertan -- Outlying modernism: Agnus Pelton, theosophy and gender / Rachel Middleman -- Agnes Pelton and the musicalization of colour / Anna Gawboy -- Beatrice Wood: theosophy, Krishnamurti and enchanted vessels / Katie J.T. Herrington -- The dynaton / Helena Čapková -- Optical enchantment: Oskar Fischinger and visual music / James G. Mansell -- Politics, theosophy and the dissident voice in Jess's Translations / David Wall -- An interview with Matt Mullican on Lee Mullican / Marco Pasi -- Encountering the Enchanted modernities exhibition / Christine Ödlund -- Appendices. Artist biographies ; Contributor biographies ; Bibliography.

ISBN

• 9781527228818
• 1527228819

OCLC

• on1105605533
• 1105605533
• SCSB-9529488

Owning Institutions

Princeton University Library