Cavin-Morris Gallery is delighted to announce the unveiling of TRANSCENDANTS II, an exhibition that showcases an exquisite collection of visionary drawings and paintings.
Although the term ‘visionary’ is multifaceted and resists singular definitions, this exhibition seeks to focus on works that act as vessels of profound spiritual connection. This connection may be derived through personal belief systems, community traditions, direct communication with, or an immediate presentation of, a vision. Here, the art transcends mere narrative depictions of visionary experiences; it serves as an actual conduit for paranormal encounters. Consequently, our exhibition is not and cannot aspire to be encyclopedic. Despite its marginalization by mainstream art history, the global presence of this genre is enormous. TRANSCENDANTS could potentially encompass and sustain a thousand diverse variations.
Over the past decade, we have observed a well-deserved resurgence of interest in the spiritual abstractionists and surrealists from the early to mid-twentieth century. Numerous exhibitions, books, and articles have highlighted new and contemporary artists working within these thematic boundaries. Major museums have curated shows featuring works by notable figures such as Leonora Carrington, Agnes Pelton, Hilma af Klint, Emma Kunz, Remedios Varo, and Georgiana Houghton, among others. What these artists have in common is their foundational influence from or affiliation with the ‘Academy.’
In December 2023, Cavin-Morris Gallery presented the inaugural exhibition in the Transcendants series, which spotlighted artists who were genuine spiritualists and mediums. These artists were often overlooked by the art world because they did not align with the mainstream canon, a deliberate life choice for many of these practitioners. The living artists featured in this subsequent exhibition underscore the need for recognition and should not be sidelined by art historians in the current fervor to spotlight newer artists, who frequently appropriate the spiritualistic visual language of their predecessors.
A significant issue with the mainstream focus is that it neglects some of the most genuine visionary artists globally. It disregards the visionary content of artists who created work as a direct, animistic contact with the paranormal realm, often through mediumistic means. These artists did not produce their work for inclusion in the art world canon but for personal, communal, or cultural purposes.
TRANSCENDANTS II highlights the work of Anna Zemánková, Frances Smokowski, Dagmar Havlíčková, František Jaroslav Pecka, Nicole Frobusch, and Cara Macwilliam. While each artist is deeply attuned to the animistic aspects of Nature and occult forces, their visual and conceptual languages are distinct from one another. There is no universal codex of protocols shared by all; spiritual vision is an intensely individual journey.
These six artists do not fit the classic definition of Art Brut artists. Each has engaged, to varying extents, with the art world and the cultural aesthetics of their times. Anna Zemánková is featured in both exhibitions because she was our guiding light and early gateway to understanding the profound heights and depths achieved by artists who create such work as personal amulets. Through their creative processes, they transcend personal and political adversities. For these artists, the act of creation is as vital, if not more so, than the finished artwork itself.
We present this body of work as a testament to the rich history of artists whose creations engage with the spirit world. Although the work itself is timeless, the pieces in this exhibition span from the 1920s to the present day. An online catalog that combines both shows will be available later this Fall.
Artists featured in the exhibition include: Nicole Frobusch, Dagmar Havlíčková, Cara Macwilliam, František Jaroslav Pecka, Frances Smokowski, and Anna Zemánková.
