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Spiritual Underground
| Point to any image to see it larger. |  acquired |
Epiphany, 2012 |
Daily #1, 2011 |
Daily #2, 2011
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Inner Circle, 2012 |
Instructions Not Included, 2012 |
Relay, 2012
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Occupy U #1, 2012 " |
Occupy U #2, 2012 |
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Two Ways (A), 2012 |
Two Ways (B), 2012
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Series: Spiritual Underground
Robert Motherwell, the painter who wrote extensively about the philosophies and experiences of the "New York School" of abstract expressionst artists, of which he was a central figure, believed that as religious and political institutions fail to address human need, artists have a responsibility to form a "spiritual underground" to "make actual the spiritual." Motherwell held this was especially true for artists who made "modern", non-representational work. In this series of large paintings on paper, McKay explores this premise, and through an interactive gallery guide offers viewers a means of approaching art in a way that goes beyond aesthetics, challenging body, mind and spirit and encouraging reflection on one's relationship to broader societal issues.
In a related gallery talk (March 10, 2 PM), McKay offers suggestions as to how artists, curators, and art patrons can more fully embrace a practical spirituality through the experience of art, drawing on psychological practices involving the assessment and treatment of trauma, framed by software engineering theory.