 Art
As Spiritual Activity
Rudolf Steiner's Contribution to the Visual Arts
Selected lectures by Rudolf Steiner
Edited and Introduced by Michael Howard
Art as
Spiritual Activity introduces a fresh and original way for thinking about, creating, and
viewing art.
The
most fundamental issue for the arts today . . . is the spiritual
foundation of the arts . . . . Steiner demonstrates that our
individual creative activity is not solely a personal affair.
Our creations do not originate out of nowhere, nor solely out
of ourselves, but from an objective world of spirit with which
we are intimately related in the depths of our being. He shows
that our creations have significance beyond ourselves and
beyond the recognition they receive: works of art are vehicles
of spiritual qualities. In bringing these spiritual qualities
into the sphere of human life, the artist becomes responsible
for the spiritual effects the work of art has on the artist,
other people, and ultimately on human evolution. — Michael Howard, from the book
Rudolf
Steiner saw his task as the renewal of the lost unity of
science, the arts, and religion; thus, he created a new,
spiritual scientific-and-religious art in anthroposophy. The
implications of his work in this direction — recognized by such diverse artists
as Wassily Kandinsky and Joseph Beuys — are only now coming
fully to light.
In his
introduction of more than 100 pages, Michael Howard takes the
reader through these thought-provoking chapters: Is Art Dead?
To Muse or Amuse; Artistic Activity as Spiritual Activity; The Representative of Humanity; Beauty, Creativity,
and Metamorphosis; New Directions in Art.
Trans: C. E.
Creeger (Selected lectures, incl. numerous photographs); 325pp
Anthroposophic Press
ISBN:
0 88010 396 5; paperback
To purchase this
title, please click here:
Art as Spiritual Activity - Rudolf
Steiner
Rudolf Steiner (1861-1925) called his spiritual philosophy
'anthroposophy', which he defined as 'the consciousness of one's
humanity', and the disciplined methods of studying this he termed
‘spiritual science’. As a highly developed clairvoyant and
spiritual initiate, he spoke from his direct cognition of the
spiritual world. However, he did not see his work as religious or
sectarian, but rather sought to found a universal 'science of the
spirit'.
His
many published works (written books and lectures) - which include
his research into the spiritual nature of the human being, the
evolution of the world and humanity, and methods of personal
development - invite readers to develop their own spiritual
faculties. He also provided indications for the renewal of
many human activities, including education - both general and
special - agriculture, medicine, economics, architecture, science,
philosophy, religion and the arts. He wrote some 30 books and
delivered over 6000 lectures across Europe, and in 1924 founded the
General Anthroposophical Society which today has branches throughout
the world.
Copyright © 2003 Skylark Books
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