Event 1 | Alchemy and Art

 

Fig 1. McCoy, Untitled. 



Fig 2. Phan, Zoom Link Confirmation



I attended the event Alchemy + Art hosted by Ann McCoy. As a person who enjoys looking at art and going to museums, it was really enjoyable to see an artist explain the different pieces herself. What I liked about McCoy was her inspiration. Unlike other artists that take inspiration from the world around them, McCoy looks within her own mind and experiences to produce an art piece that is utterly and completely hers. 



Fig 3. McCoy, Bog People.


Along with her unique style and motivations, McCoy allowed herself to draw what she wanted despite losing her art dealers. Her depiction of the Bog People and her subsequent work allowed McCoy to become a Guggenheim fellow!


She inspired me to look deeper into alchemy as a whole, and I found that alchemy also deals with turning metals into gold, searching for a panacea, and perfecting the human body (Anapur). 


The interesting thing about alchemy is that it relates to the discussion about the two cultures and how there is a divide between literary intellectuals and natural scientists. McCoy herself said there is backlash from the mostly secular academia when alchemy is mentioned. I don’t believe alchemy by itself is a third culture, but it is interesting to see how the two cultures agree that alchemy is not legitimate.



Fig 4. McCoy, Three Eggs.



An interesting symbol McCoy mentioned is the egg because of the creation myths that came with it. It is used in a variety of mythologies, showing that it has origins deep in the human unconscious, something McCoy attempts to find.


The event was very interesting and enjoyable. I learned a lot about something I otherwise would not have which was really cool. Thank you to Ann McCoy for hosting it.



Works Cited

Anapur, Eli. "The Fascination with Alchemy in Art." Widewalls | Modern & 

Contemporary Art Resource, 2 Jan. 2017, www.widewalls.ch/magazine/alchemy-in-art. Accessed 16 Apr. 2022.

Niskanen, Niina. "Cosmic Egg in the Creation Myths from Around the World." 

Fairychamber - Art and Illustrations by Niina Niskanen, 8 June 2018, www.fairychamber.com/blog/cosmic-egg-in-the-creation-myths-around-the-world. Accessed 16 Apr. 2022.

Snow, C. P., and Stefan Collini. The Two Cultures. Cambridge UP, 2012. Accessed 16 

Apr. 2022.


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