Opening Statement: Ariel

"Imagination is more important than knowledge."
Albert Einstein

The poet Ezra Pound once wrote: "the artist is the antenna of the race." The work of art is much more than a simple eye candy, or an idea expressed in the form of image. It is a manifestation of a part of us that is in constant connection with the invisible, gathering information from the very soul of the Earth. Hence, the artist might be seen as a channel, someone sensitive enough to bring down to the material plane all he can see/hear/feel in that particular way... Being free from the ties of the third dimensional world, the artist's mind can see what is beyond our material eyes and understand more subtle realities. The spirit of the age finds a channel through him/her and manifests itself through his/her hands, leaving its legacy to the next generations.

We are living in times of deep changes and transformations in every level of the human experience. Not only at the material and technological level, but mainly at the human one. Never in the history of humankind have we been so drawn to the mysteries of life. Philosophical and religious matters have never been so prominent and had their structures hurt so badly. We feel that something is drastically changing in the world, but most of us cannot tell what it is. We don't know if it's good or bad, or where all this turmoil will take us to. Some react with denial, some with fear, some with skepticism, but in our inner depths we all know that we are watching something great and meaningful unfolding.

The so called visionary art movement has been growing continuously. By visionary art we can understand every art that portrays a type of transcendent vision, that reveals a mystical and spiritual awareness of a certain kind. There have always been visionary artists throughout the times. William Blake, Hieronymus Bosch, Gustave Moreau and many others, used fantastic and iconic imagery to illustrate their views of a supra reality. Nowadays names like Alex Grey, Ernst Fuchs, Amanda Sage, Robert Venosa and Martina Hoffman are just a few of the most prominent ones. Hundreds of artists all around the world have been dedicating themselves to explore other realities in their works.

There's much more in visionary art than just fantastic imagery, since this kind of art can put the viewer in contact to his own inner self. Opening the doors of perception in the spectator, provoking a look onto his owns dreams, fears and hopes, visionary art is capable of healing and enlightening. It's a preview, or a revelation of the infinitude of man.

I firmly believe that the 21st century is the time when man will finally be face to face with his infinitude. That's what the contemporary visionary artists have been revealing in their visions; that's the spirit of our age.

Not a long time ago, I expressed to my friend Julia my wish to build a project that would help to give exposure to the visionary/spiritual art movement. Being both visionary artists and walking through similar paths, Julia as a collage artist and myself as a painter and illustrator, we want not only share our perceptions of a new world but also to give room to other artists/healers/free thinkers to do the same. The Aquarian Eye is our contribution to the spirit of this new age which has started to shine in the horizon.

Left: Jacob's Ladder, William Blake
Right: Oedipus and The Sphynx, Gustave Moreau