Recently I have been reading a book titled Spirituality in Contemporary Art/ The Idea of the Numinous and it was written by the Korean Jungu Yoon and the idea of the numinous fascinates me.
Its definition is “Numinous describes an experience or atmosphere that is deeply spiritual, mystical, or awe-inspiring, often suggesting the presence of a divine or supernatural power. It evokes a sense of holy fear, mystery, or profound wonder, bridging the gap between the mundane world and the divine.”
I hope this description fits in with the genre of my visual art over the decades since and during art school.
In this photo video shoot I was wearing Kmart T-shirts with hand drawn Sharpie pen drawings one with Saint Francis holding a neon saying Kindness and the other Mary Mackillop Australia’s saint holding a neon saying Compassion. I was also wearing blue Levis jeans and white Converse and a Fit Bit watch.
These are my favourite saints and perhaps the drawings are of what they would look like if they were alive today.
I have used all the best MacKillop and Saint Francis quotes over and over but these following ones speak to me and each time I meditate on them the more of their profound wisdom soaks in.
“A single sunbeam is enough to drive away many shadows.”
Francis of Assisi
I love this quote by Saint Francis and today during the shoot I wonder if it was a single sunbeam from Saint Francis that drove away my many shadows. And after I wasn’t sure if I had a tear in my eye or it was sweat from a hot day but I felt moved and shaken up.
“Never see a need without doing something about it”.
St Mary MacKillop
I love this quote by MacKillop and it featured in one of my big drawings shown in a solo show last year at Kirra Hill. I think one of the most difficult aspects of the human condition is when someone sees a need but doesn’t know how to solve it or doesn’t have the means to do so.
