Neosymbolism

Neosymbolism is a movement current in the visual arts genre. Active in the movement are artists in the USA, in Denmark,in the Czech Republic and Canada, notably the work of Canadian Artist, Gary F Manzo.

Philosophy

The core philosophy of neosymbolism, like that of its predecessor Symbolism, is the idea of "correspondences", the "emblematic order" of a world in which technology and the industrial reality have not yet drowned the forces of mysticism and belief. In a world where visual images exist to generate sales and revenue Neosymbolist imagery attempts to preserve the relationship between image and the human soul. The imagery is necessarily representational rather than abstract. It borders on the narrative, but stops short of the commercial trap of illustration to convey an idea for profit. Artists like Norman Rockwell could qualify as Neosymbolist painters in that they adopt a social and cultural undercurrent and convey it in terms of the cultural cliche'; the image as representative of core aspects of the culture. The same is not true, however, of the generally accepted idea of commercial illustration which attempts more to influence cultural, political, and economic ideology than it tries communicate an existent reality.

Neosymbolism is fairly well hidden within the culture with few references and almost no broad based visibility. In 1988 Nick A Demos created an art book in an edition of two. This was the first visible sign of Neosymbolism. Nick A Demos wrote, published, and developed the first book of neosymbolism titled "Just Words" into paintings. Nick A Demos was the first to use the word Neosymbolism to describe his art work. ^{[citation needed]}Nick A Demos owns the surviving copy of the first book of neosymbolism. Nick A Demos created the first domain name Neosymbolism.com 11/20/2002. See date created at whois.incann.org and the company administrator California Artists Agency Inc. a State of Georgia Corporation created 5/3/2001 is owned by Nick A Demos for the sole purpose of promoting his art of neosymbolism. There is no domain name of neosymbolism that pre dates this earliest documentation of the domain neosymbolism.com. Nick A Demos owns all domain names that relate to neosymbolism.com being Neosymbolism.net .org .info .us .biz and Neo-Symbolism.com .net .org. Nick A Demos published a half page ad in Gallery Guide New York September 2004 defining Neo-Symbolism as "Words juxtaposed with words and the letters with Words" with a painting as an example. Many examples of Neo-Symbolic paintings by Nick A Demos have been published over the years in Gallery Guide Magazine. Neo-symbolism as a descriptor of his art was a very intentional and documented creation of Nick A Demos.

There has also been a separate group using the neosymbolism name for the creation of an international collective representing a number of artists who share the goals of preserving the visual art that is the foundation of the ideas associated with the term in its original and essential sense, as opposed to the "non-sense" of individual philosophies which deviate from the preservation of the core philosophy as it has evolved since the late nineteenth century.

The neosymbolist movement was born spontaneously in numerous locations across the globe. Many groups use words but do not want to be limited to only that discipline. A group of Danish Neosymbolists defined their movement^{[citation needed]} by

Using Iconic language in their expressions
Reproducing the inner experience of the outer world
Examining the human experience and circumstance in today’s changing world
Examining the underlying meaning of life
Using media in conscious and innovative ways

http://www.arrkunst.webbyen.dk/vishjemmeside_privat.asp?mode=top_frame&id=614394&side=&webside=4222305^{[dead link‍]}

The founder of the Canadian Neosymbolists describes the foundations of the movement as:

Brief Summary of the Foundations of Canadian Neosymbolism^{[citation needed]}: By founder: Gary F. Manzo

Using Symbolic language in our, expressions, often derived from Dream Sequences and Archetypal Imagery as described by Carl Jung, and others involved with Mysticism, Alchemy, Depth Psychology and Philosophy.
Depicting the inner experience of the outer world, in relationship to Self Actualization and Depth Psychology, and related fields of study.
Examining the human experience and circumstance in today’s changing world; with the idea that mankind must “make friends with his animal nature”, in order to achieve Wholeness of SELF in a contemporary world.
Examining the underlying meaning of life, both from an historical, perspective, and it’s relevancy to the new age of Technology; as well as New Age Psychology.
Using mediums and techniques, in conscious, experimental and innovative ways, utilizing both traditional methods and contemporary cutting edge techniques and technologies.

An international Neosymbolist collective that began exhibiting as a group in 2001 has a simpler definition.

- exploration of the emotional, political, and spiritual themes of the rapidly changing culture of the late 20th and early 21st through the use of symbols both personal and universal.^{[This quote needs a citation]}

From this perspective the neosymbolist movement can be seen as a reaction against abstraction, an attempt to weave the artists’ intellectual and spiritual experiences into the fabric of their work. Words, ancient symbols of ideas, can be a powerful tool of expression but the neosymbolists’ palette is not limited to their use alone.^{[citation needed]}

Reviews

The exhibition history of this group, including their collaborations with the Danish Neosymbolist collective, are documented in the reviews in these periodicals. More information about this group can be found at www.neosymbolism.eu

Sketch Book the Artists’ Coalition of Austin Newsletter -
Neosymbolismus at Depot St. Gallery - Pascale Vial -July 2001
Austin Chronicle Vol 23 No 26 - Jacqueline May - May 7, 2004,
Olomoucky Den - Gabriela Garbova - March 17, 2005
Austin Gazeta - The Exhibition of Neosymbolist Art - October, 2006
Vesterbro Bladet - Symbol X i Rahuset - Af Michael Friis - November 22, 2006 - Copenhagen, Denmark
Dnes - Galerii Osadil Neosymbolismus - January 5, 2007
Pravo - Neosymboliste Vystavuji v Olomouci - Vlasta Hrdilova - January 12, 2007,
Piestansky Tyzden-Americki vytarnici predstavili neosymbolizmus-Ondrej Grezdo - octobra 14, 2008

References

External links

NEOSYMBOLISM.eu