alex grey

Alex Grey (born November 29, 1953) in Columbus, Ohio. He is an artist specializing in psychedelic and spiritual art that is sometimes associated with the New Age movement. His oevre spans a variety of forms including performance art, installation art, sculpture, and most significantly, painting. Grey is a member of the Integral Institute.

Paintings

His paintings can be described as an unusual contemporary blend of sacred art and postmodern art. His work often depicts aspects of the supernatural world overlayed with aspects of the natural world. Some viewers report that elevated or spiritual states are induced while viewing - which, in the tradition, is the purpose of sacred art. His work has an eclecticism that often integrates auras, human anatomy, religious icons (sometimes reminiscent of thangkas), geometric shapes and tesselations (sometimes reminiscent of mandalas), in natural, industrial, and multicultural situations. The human figures are sometimes shown nude (usually with partially translucent skin), in sexual situations, or meditating. This incorporation of the high and low, the sacred and secular gives his art a postmodern feel. However, the sacred aspect essentially expunges any sense of irony or insencerity often associated with postmodern art (e.g., some people's reactions to the art of Andy Warhol). This spiritual aspect provides an organization that is actually not very eclectic at all, but better characterized as being syncretic

Painting and Music Groups

The rock band Tool has featured his artwork as album artwork for their album Lateralus. He also did the stage design for Tool for the album tour that included massive reproductions of the album artwork. The Beastie Boys's album artwork Ill Communication featured Grey's work. The cover of the String Cheese Incident's album Untying The Not featured Grey's work Cosmic Elf made specifically for the album. Nirvana's album In Utero featured Grey's art as album artwork. A CD of David Byrne remixes called Visible Man featured Grey's artwork.

In the Media

His artwork has been featured on the cover of Newsweek, High Times, Shaman's Drum, Shambhala Sun, Juxtapoz, and Gnosis. The Discovery Channel included Grey in a feature on art and creativity in altered states.

Philosophy

Grey has also made his own contribution to the Philosophy of art in his book The Mission of Art (2001). He promotes the possiblity of the mystical potential of art. He believes that the process of artistic creation can (and should) play a role in the enlightenment of the artist. For him, the process of artistic creation holds the potential of transcending the limitations of the mind and more fully expressing divine spirit. He also believes that art can induce within the viewer a elevated states where a connection with spirit is made.