Thematic Spotlight: Everything Has Meaning

 

There is meaning behind every object, so-called event, action, perception, etc. In this so-called life, there is meaning behind everything. A perception of life without meaning is involved in misery.

My sculptural work is largely metaphysically based, meaning I derive inspiration from core geometric concepts and truthful discoveries concerning the mind and nature. I am grateful to have been exposed to the ideas discriminating between argumentative philosophy (endless and superficial) on the one hand and messages which point to truths behind the logic and words on the other hand. It is the latter which leads to real discovery and real truth, which in the words of J. Krishnamurti "[Truth] is a pathless land"—meaning it is not an object of discovery, but rather a "field" of course outside of space and time and therefore nor a product of thought. The implications of this statement are beautiful if allowed to unfold.

Thematic spotlight: Everything has meaning, from the cosmic to the microscopic and everything in between, every single thing you can sense or imagine.

1. How is this connected to the so-called divine? This is a complex subject which can be researched by starting with Uzdavinys' "Philosophy as a Rite of Rebirth" which examines mainly Egyptian, Greek and Indian metaphysics. However, I will say briefly: Everything is divine. The material world is not separate from the divine—how could it be? If the divine exists, which it must (saving the definition of divine for some other written place), it could not possibly be separate from so-called material reality (read my relevant blog entries at https://behindthewoodforms.blogspot.com/).

2. Geometrically, forms are significant. Topological forms, for example, are significant in the following way: if you aren't familiar with topology, it involves the categorization of shapes based on the continuity/connectivity of their surface. For example, a sphere is distinct from a torus or doughnut because the latter has one hole in it. Something like an "8" shape would again be distinct because it has two holes in it, and so on. How does this significance appear in the "world outside of math"? A ring's utility is undeniable (as a hula-hoop, handle, wheel, etc.). An "8" shape could be extended topologically to include a rope with a loop on either end. The significance of this to tether two objects together is undeniable.

3. If my form, say a "Bipod" form, has a specific number of areas in contact with the ground (in this case two), this has meaning both structurally and metaphysically. Therefore, the number 2 also has meaning both naturally/physically and intellectually.

All that said, it may be of interest to note that my process generally involves allowing creative insight to emerge within a general structure of limitations. I do not normally attempt to piece together a whole form with a variety of partial meanings but rather allow the whole form to take shape and then attempt to decode the real (not imaginary) meaning afterwords. Of course, my personal flavour may be present superficially in the description but my objective is to get to the core, essence or truth of the form (see Platonic Forms)—the meaning which is constant for all of us. So, you can see I am concerned with core truths, which is what metaphysics should be concerned with. As A.K. Coomaraswamy pointed out, [all] Artworks (everything manufactured should be treated as such (as an artwork), unlike the prevalent modern industrial values) is not the end but a means to an [intellectual] end. I would say, it's a means to a divine end. 

 

Lastly, what is implied on an everyday level by the notions that firstly, "everything has meaning" and secondly, "everything produced should be seen as a work of Art". Well, it is plain to see that there is presently much in our world which is in opposition to these statements, so these propositions may serve as a dim flame amidst a smoggy darkness.

Duality No.3