Exploration into Norman’s Anderson’s unknown language.
Norman’s story and language.
“In 2019, I suffered a stroke that significantly impaired my ability to speak. With the help of NHS doctors and therapists, I gradually recovered the full faculty of speech. But something quite extraordinary happened: a “mystery language” came to me, a kind of mantra, a spiritual chant, that sounds somewhat like Sanskrit. This chanting, which may or may not be a language, comes to me naturally, as if coming from the deep recesses of my mind.
I have incorporated this chanting into my artistic practice, producing asemic, automatic calligraphy as I speak this language aloud. I work at multiple scales, inscribing this script in long scrolls, and in a small notebook where I keep a daily log of those characters as part of a daily practice of recitation and reflection.”
Working together with Norman as he draws and chants his language — seeing how I respond, seeing what resonances are pulled forth and what harmonics may develop.
Roanna and I were particularly attracted to the poems on the topic of the moon and its reflection on water. The contemplative act of gazing at/into a body of water and something being reflected back to us, is timeless. Whether it is 12C or now.
Ideas we worked with — reflecting light like a mirror — often but not always moonlight — Japanese autumn Moon viewing festivals, capturing the reflection of the moon in a cup of sake etc.
Our chosen poem — the light is reflected back from the surface — what kind of light?
Especially this year
A mirror it does seem;
This pond water -
Clear through the passage of a thousand ages,
How I long for its light!
Our response is a collaboration, not a competition. Each work is uniquely our own, but the two “pieces” come together to make something new.
Painting by Roanna Wells overlaid with water pattern projection by Alison Churchill.
The first collaborative drawing — with Norman Anderson.
Indian ink and water on 10 m roll of paper drawn over several days, about 2.5 m at a time.
Starting with 20 mins of silent meditation. Drawing from the empty space, together.
A week after completion, rolling it out, I doubted: “this is too chaotic, I’m not sure that I like it.” But on contemplating it and taking time to let it in, it settled into a kind of coherence. Noticing points of beauty within it.
It’s like a water surface…….
Ceaseless energy
Intimate
Presence
Tentative
Intuitive
Playful
Joyful
Forming and reforming
Disappearing and reappearing
Open
Empty
Full
Scintillating
Perturbation and settling
Emerging
Alive
Constantly moving
https://vimeo.com/374676587
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This project (click to view) is intended for the images and ideas evolving among a group of visual artists who share interests in art, spirituality and evolution.
Our international group (five at the moment) formed a few years ago and continues to actively experiment with the creative process beyond the individual.
Our purpose and context for working together is an exploration of the possibility of creative emergence as a group, each artist contributing in their special way to the whole. Every individual is thereby autonomous and at once in communion with the consciousness of the group.
One mark, many interactions,
a multitude of images...
We are a group of 6 artists, based in the UK and the US, who are involved in making collaborative visual art remotely. Over the last 3 years we have created together 100s of composite, yet highly individual images. Our process challenges us to both let go of our own marks and respond honestly to those initiated by someone else. In doing so we see our marks taken in a direction that we could not have imagined, illustrating in the process an expansion of creative potential. Core to our practice is dialogue via Zoom in which we share and explore the nuances of our experience, developing amongst us a deep trust and connection.
We invite you to join us!
We are a group of international artists who are making images together. Follow our progress on on Instagram @lifestream art collaboration
