“THE ORACLE’S EYE”
curated by Stephen Romano
Opening Feb 16, 5 – 9 pm
Gallery open Thurs – sat 3 – 8 pm
through Feb 24 2024
14BC Gallery is located at 626 E 14th St, New York, NY 10009, Betweenn Avenues B and C.
Josh Stebbins “Oraculum” “Eternal Slumber” “Opia”, “Blossom of Mind”, “Alazia” 2022–2023..
https://monsterbrains.blogspot.com/2020/05/monster-brains-stephen-romano-curator.html
“The artists in this show may not label themselves as soothsayers or oracles, but their creative process certainly grants them access to metaphysical wisdom as the veil between them and the spiritual world becomes thinner. Their artwork serves as a cathartic conveyance of spiritual knowledge, which can act as a powerful affirmation for those seeking deeper spiritual awareness and empowerment.”
– Exhibition Curator Stephen Romano.
“The Oracle’s Eye” is the third exhibition in a series originating from Stephen Romano’s 2019 “Transmutations: Witches, Healers and Oracles” at Cleveland’s Buckland Museum of Witchcraft and Magic.
Featuring William H. Mortensen, Wolfgang Grasse, Charles Dellschau, A Fiorello, William Blayney, Albrecht Durer, Jacob Bohme, Jordan Barlow, Darcílio Lima, Josh Stebbins, Edward Colver, Chris Stein, Matthew Bede Murphy, Brittany Rose Luciani, Barry William Hale, Daniel Gonçalves , Destiny Turner, Kim Bo Yung, Alexis Karl, Courtney Brooke Hall, Dan Barry, Ken Weaver, Erik Bergrin, Cormac Figgis, Ray Robinson, Ellen Stagg, India Evans, Dolorosa De La Cruz, Thann Clark, Adam De Ville, Shane Michael Donnelly, Ebon Flowe, Dominic Murphy, Sam Wellington, Matthew Dutton, and others.
The Oracle’s Eye” is the third exhibition of a series that originated from Stephen Romano’s “Transmutations: Witches, Healers and Oracles” exhibition in 2019 at the Buckland Museum of Witchcraft in Cleveland. The first follow-up exhibition was held at the WYRD WAR Gallery in Portland, OR, named “The Witches Eye: The Camera as Occult Device,” featuring the artwork of William Mortensen, Britney Rose Luciani, Matthew Dutton, Edward Colver, and Lorena Torres Martell. The second installment, entitled “The Shamanic Eye,” was hosted at GalleryX in Dublin and featured diverse works such as Chris Stein’s (of Blondie) photographs of Debbie Harry stylized by H.R. Giger, Edward Colver’s photographs of Christian Death’s original founder Rozz Williams, Cormac Figgis’ stunning portraits of Iggy Pop, and Brittany Rose Luciani’s re-creation of Mortensen’s “The High Priestess” from 1924. A selection of these works will be showcased in the upcoming exhibition, allowing New York audiences to experience them firsthand, among many others.
An oracle is a person who is believed to possess the ability to offer wise advice, prophetic predictions or discernment, which is often thought to be inspired by divine sources. In the Bible, a message from God to humanity is usually given in response to a prayer for direction. When such predictions are made using occult methods, it is considered a form of divination. The term “oracle” comes from the Latin verb “to speak,” ōrāre, and it accurately describes the act of a priest or priestess making a prediction. In broader usage, the term “oracle” can also refer to the location where the prediction is made or the prediction itself. Oracular utterances are known as “khrēsmoí” in Greek. Oracles were believed to be a direct means for the gods to communicate with humans. They were not like seers, who interpreted messages from the gods through animal entrails, bird signals, or other means.
The Sibylline Oracles is a compilation of prophecies attributed to the Sibyls. They were prophetesses who revealed divine truths when they were in a frantic condition and wrote them in Greek hexameters. In 2019, the Stephen Romano Gallery presented an exhibition in honor of William Mortensen called “William Mortensen and the Coven of the Sibylline.” This exhibition was based on the ideas explored in that exhibition, as well as the “Transmutations” exhibition mentioned earlier. The exhibition expands on the theme, sometimes playfully and in other instances, unnervingly.
Having said that, the exhibition expands the parameters of consideration of it’s theme, sometimes playfully, and in other instances unnervingly. http://www.shishigami.com/srfa/brittany/brittanyrl.html
Throughout the history of art, the association between artists and the occult has been a consistent theme. It is no wonder that many artists find inspiration in the mysterious and mystical. From ancient civilizations to modern times, the power of the occult has fascinated and captured the imagination of artists. This has resulted in some of the most haunting and unforgettable works of art, either as foretellers of fantastical utopian futures or as vehement end-of-the-world prophets.
The artists in this show may not label themselves as soothsayers or oracles, but their creative process certainly grants them access to metaphysical wisdom as the veil between them and the spiritual world becomes thinner. Their artwork serves as a cathartic conveyance of spiritual knowledge, which can act as a powerful affirmation for those seeking deeper spiritual awareness and empowerment.
