Unfortunately, in a large part of society today, aesthetic sensitivity has been reduced to something secondary and insignificant. This presence is so strong that a materialistically inclined individual will, blinded by their own ignorance, not notice the beauty expressed in an artwork, nor the message contained within it, but instead its market value, or the name and reputation of the artist.
There is a famous anecdote about Picasso who, when faced with a beginner’s painting, said, “This painting is missing something to be good.” “What, maestro, what is it missing?” asked the beginner. “It is missing my signature to make it a great work of art,” replied Picasso.
However, an artist is not a signature. A work of art should be able to touch a person on its own. It should have its own life, be able to separate itself from its creator.
Today, only a small number of artists are known from those ancient times when temples were built in harmony and beauty. However, their works, from Egypt and Greece to India and America, have left a lasting impact on the world.
Through the Beauty, we continue to lead our consciousness towards the sublime. At best, they bear some symbolic signature as a sign of some brotherhood that crafted it or a secret name.
The artwork was not born for the glory of its author, but the artist’s glory consisted in his transformation through the process of artistic creation. It was something that transcended the artist, as he embodied something beyond himself, he could grasp it and give it shape in the sensory world.
With each act of creation, the artist pours his personal way of expression into the power of Demiurge, reproducing the power of harmonious creation of the Universe to the extent that he awakens that same power within himself.
Hence comes the idea that the form reflects his secret name, the name of the Inner God, and not the personality through which it is represented in this world.
Art is truly a creation, and although it cannot be defined solely as a creative act, it is expressed through the ability to shape matter, s The ability for matter to respond to the artist’s will in order to embody what the author envisioned.
When we speak of matter, we refer to everything that can be perceived, or matter as an extension of form. Thus, music, although intangible, corresponds to pure forms, subtle structures made of harmonious and proportional relationships. In music, spatial proportions (sounds) are linked to temporal proportions, creating something vibrant, in motion.
In a way, man, with the help of his creative abilities, has sought to approach the creative role of the Divine, the Logos, or Cosmic Intelligence, as many philosophers have spoken of throughout history. When man creates, he merely imitates the Demiurge or the Universal Architect at the moment of creating forms to breathe life into.
Every work of art, whether architectural, musical, visual, literary, or of any other kind, in a certain way represents a re-creation of the world, a cosmogonic process in which Chaos, primordial. Within matter, Teos organizes the artist’s mind, causing Ideas, archetypes, to emanate, creating the space of the Cosmos: the artwork.
Following this universal pattern, the act of creation relies on the power of manipulating form. Form is essentially a structure, a framework of tense lines interconnected in various relationships, through which energy can flow, life can be expressed, or an idea can manifest; they need to inhabit structures. This can be clearly seen in a Gothic cathedral or a musical composition.
Therefore, every form needs a “breath” as the essence that enlivens it. Art thus manifests as an act of re-creation from the invisible to the sensory world, aided by beauty.
Creation implies synthesis because a purely analytical mind will never be able to create. A work is not merely a sum of strokes, gestures, or sounds; it is much more than that, it already exists in the artist’s mind, and while expressed through forms, the forms themselves will never create it.
Therefore, the creative process is a union of m Materials, shapes, and essence. The artist strives to master the material, perceive and understand the form, and channel that “breath.” In a way, he needs to be a technician, philosopher, and magician to traverse the path that leads from craftsman to artist, and from artist to genius.
This process requires great willpower and perseverance to master the material, a clear mind that sees essential forms and knows the effects they evoke, as well as the ability to elevate consciousness that enables channeling inspiration.