Formed from a mixture of forces, Male and Female, Human and Animal, Sexual and Spiritual, the Satyr is crowned and enthroned within its very self. Becoming a catalyst for the engine, it supercharges the orgone to white hot intensity. From the maelstrom of its satisfaction, the satyr observes us coolly with an expression of erotic challenge. Like the Catepillar to Alice, the satyr asks that we understand who we are. Dare we discover our truth? Dare we cross the bridge?
Part of my reason for offering the Festival of Orgone was to personally explore Wilhelm Reich and Orgone. In my research I have discovered a few aspects about Reich that are personally off putting. Apparently Reich considered Homosexuality to be a neurosis. Considering the societal expectations of his time period, I suppose it would be too much to expect someone as sexually forward thinking as Reich to have a positive view point towards homosexuality. I guess I had hoped for more. I've also found a wealth of material discrediting some of his claims about Orgone. It is all disappointing, yes, but ultimately unimportant.
Regardless of any discontinuity between Reich's opinions and my own, I have chosen to take my cue from the body of his work. Reich's main focus was on sexual empowerment and freedom. I'm here to visually consider the libido and the drive of life as a metaphysical force. I guess this is the point where we depart the physical and cross the bridge.
A note of intriguing spiritual and physical alignment with this post: I had a VERY challenging time constructing this post. The sudden mixture of disparate energies at the discovery of Reich's point of view on Homosexuality and the general nature the piece of artwork made for some challenges moving forward. I had to stretch to get this one going. My brain was locked for a good long while. Luckily, if you stare into the eyes of the Satyr long enough, you just have to relax.
Recommended Listening:
New Order
Confusion (Pump Panel Reconstruction mix)
from (The Rest of) New Order
{Digital Images manipulated in Adobe Photoshop}
Growing into the Other:
Douglas Hofstadter, Godel, Escher, Bach
Zen Koans, Catechism
Heinreich Hoffman, Struwwelpeter
New Order
Confusion (Pump Panel Reconstruction mix)
from (The Rest of) New Order
{Digital Images manipulated in Adobe Photoshop}
Growing into the Other:
Douglas Hofstadter, Godel, Escher, Bach
Zen Koans, Catechism
Heinreich Hoffman, Struwwelpeter
4 comments:
Man, that satyr sure is a smug son of a bitch : ) But you're right, as self-satisfied and arrogant as he strikes me there's definitely something very calming and relaxing in his gaze (or gazes).
One thing that is interesting to note about Reich (from what I gleaned from the Wikipedia article) is that while he had established himself as noteworthy and credible in the psychological community he still chose to take a big chance with Orgone theory. From an artistic point of view making a leap of that magnitude at the cost of losing almost everything is quite admirable. Perhaps he was sincerely accepting the satyr's challenge to cross the proverbial bridge.
Yes, indeed, that is one smug Satyr! :-) I feel the smugness is part of his/her/its challenge: to step into the fire, to cross the bridge, to become the architects of our own satisfaction, to take control of all that we are.
How strange...just as I was typing, a strange horn like noise just happened in my house. My housemates heard it as well. It was almost like a warning klaxon for a tornado, but of much shorter duration. We suspect it may have been our pipes as the washer was going while the toilet upstairs was flushed. The sound literally seemed like it was coming from between me and the window facing my computer. Just a single resonating tone. Fascinating and Magickal!
Concerning Reich and his leap from Psychology to Biology / Physics, to me that represents the inevitable challenge of discrimination in all this: differentiating between the light of truth and the ignis fatuus, Reason versus Delusion. When exploring the outer edge, the line between the two blurs. An apropos topic during the current Neptune Retrograde.
The more I explore and discover about Reich, what I enjoy most is the multiplicity of reactions to the man and his work. No one comes away from exposure to Reich with the same view. In the end it doesn't matter if he was right or wrong or insane or a shaman. Look at the discourse over him!
Also - the pipe noise may have been what is called a Water Hammer, sometimes caused by water in pipes suddenly changing direction - more Neptune, Ha!
Yeah, that's the sign of something that is truly great. When the resulting discussion and reactions add to and expand the overall meaning and feeling.
Speaking of truly great things The Prestige, directed by Christopher Nolan, jumps to mind as one of the most thought and discussion provoking movies I've seen in a long time. Your reaction to the movie is an essential part to the overall experience. I highly recommend it if you haven't seen it already.
I have seen the The Prestige. I loved it! In fact, I'm way overdue for a re-watch on that one. David Bowie as Nicola Tesla is genius!
I'm a big fan of Christopher Nolan overall. I didn't realize I was waiting for a movie like Inception until I saw it. By the end of it, I was a squealing giddy school girl. His style speaks to that part of me all the way in back of my head.
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