Transcendence - Online event exploring the art behind creating mystical experiences

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'Transcendence' - launched in collaboration with National Gallery x and supported by Arts Council

Art in Flux presents “Transcendence” - the art of mystical experiences, a new online event supported by the Arts Council England that celebrates some of the most ground-breaking media artists and researchers of our times exploring this idea. 

‘Transcendence’, curated by Maria Almena, curator at Art in Flux and artist at Kimatica studio, explores the art behind creating mystical experiences. The term “transcendental” was coined by Immanuel Kant, meaning “That which goes beyond any possible knowledge of human beings.” 

Pioneering media artists and scientists present their work on mystical, transcendental and sublime experiences, discussing how art can help audiences to reconnect to these fundamental “spiritual” ideas so intrinsic to human existence. Understanding spirituality from the lenses of the father of Western psychology, William James, who defined spiritual experiences as states of higher consciousness, at the core of his view of spirituality is what we might call ‘connectedness’.

Currently, our Western society remains disconnected from mystical experiences, due to the decline of beliefs in institutionalised religion, as capitalism does not offer any ethical or spiritual guidance. This has led to a wide-spread sense of feeling lost - disconnected from the self and nature. Responding to our societal needs, ‘Transcendence’ is featuring artists and scientists that are researching how art experiences can reconnect us with such mystical and sublime experiences, currently missing from contemporary society. 

This evening, curated by the artist Maria Almena, will feature presentations by the curator, as well as seminal artists and researchers including Maja Petric, Carl Smith, Kimatica and Kinda Studios and provide a forum for discussion of transcendental practices in contemporary media arts.