Professional Documents
Culture Documents
EARTHWORKS:
SHAMANISM IN THE RELIGIOUS EXPERIENCES
OF CONTEMPORARY ARTISTS IN NORTH AMERICA
by
Maureen Elizabeth Korp
Ottawa, Canada
1991
Volume I
CONTENTS
Acknowledgements iii
List of Illustrations xi
List of Tables xiv
Abstract xvii
page
Introduction 1-43
Chapter page
2. The Sacred Place: Theoretical Considerations 108-180
Recognition of the Sacred Place 111
Two Sites--sacred or non-sacred? 120
The Art Historian's Approach 124
The Religious Approach of Mircea Eliade 128
The Application of a Sacred Place Typology 134
Esoteric and Occult Interpretations 149
Aesthetic Response 151
Animism as Kratophany 154
Summary 165
Endnotes 171
Volume I
CONTENTS
Chapter page
4. The Artist's Shamanic Vision 252-314
The Shaman 255
The Shaman and the Artist 257
Lascaux as an Example of Shamanic Art 259
Other Primal Examples of Shamanic Art 264
Style Characteristics 267
Phosphenes and Photisms 269
The Shaman's Vision 273
The Earth-Centered Vision 276
The Artist's Vision 282
A Re-Appraisal of Artistic Vision 286
Conclusion 293
Endnotes 298
Chapter page
5. Survey Design and Administration 316-356
Some Methodological Issues 317
Design of the Questionnaire 324
Format of the Questionnaire 327
Survey Participant Selection 330
Response Rate to the Questionnaire 334
Interview Procedures 339
Interviewing 340
Interview Text Verification 343
Participant Follow-up 345
Conclusions 346
Endnotes 349
Volume I
CONTENTS
Chapter page
6. The Artists' Questionnaire Results 357-425
Statistical Profile of the Artists Surveyed 362
Summary of the Group's Statistical Profile 379
Questions concerning Artistic Vision and Inspiration 350
Summary of the Group's Shamanic Experiences 397
Earthworks and the Artists 398
The Artist's Empathy for Native Peoples 403
The Artist's Experience of Kratophany 413
Conclusion 416
Endnotes 423
7. Interviews with the Artists 426-517
The Artist as Shaman 428
Franz Geierhaas's Study of 15 Artists 432
Selection of the Artists To Be Interviewed 436
Views on Religion and Religious Art 438
The Power of Art 445
Views on Nature 448
The Artists' Visions 452
Work Routines 462
A Proprietary Point of Discussion 466
Earthworks in America 476
The Artist's Community Role 492
Conclusion 498
Endnotes 501
Volume I
CONTENTS
Chapter page
8. The Earthwork as Geo-Metaphor 519-554
With Words and Pointing Fingers 520
Art as a Religious Discipline 527
The Rigney and Smith Study 530
The Barron Study 533
The Gallup Poll on Religious Experience 536
Studies of Psychedelic Agents, Mysticism, and
Creativity 539
The Buffalo Commons 540
The Earthwork as Geo-Metaphor 543
Afterword 549
Endnotes 550
Volume II
CONTENTS
page
APPENDIX 1. Artist's Questionnaire: Sources of
Archaic Motifs in Contemporary Art 2
Consent for Artist's Interview:
Procedure and Interview Form 8
APPENDIX 2. Artist's Interview Text
anonymous 14
Lorenzo Baca 23
Rick Bartow 35
Betsy Damon 45
Jennifer Dickson 55
Martin Dunn 64
Anita Endrezze 75
Andy Fabo 84
Donna Henes 94
Peter Hutchinson 105
Alex Janvier 115
Ann McCoy 122
Eva Manly 138
Jody Pinto 147
Charles Ross 155
Jim Schoppert 169
Tal Streeter 178
Meryl Taradash 196
Carla Whiteside 209
APPENDIX 3. Curriculum 220
WORKS CONSULTED 221
Volume I
List of Illustrations
figure page
1. Gary Dwyer. "Mea Culpa, My Fault." 2
2. James Turrell. "Roden Crater." 3
3. Charles Ross. "Star Axis." 4
4. Alex Janvier. "Fort Simpson." 6
5. Jody Pinto. "Split Tongue Pier." 7
6. Meryl Taradash. "Waves." 8
7. Betsy Damon. "Memory of Clean Water." 9
8. Jennifer Dickson, R.A. "Memories and Dreams:
Villa Torrigiani di Carmigliano, near Luca, Italy." 10
9. Monks Mound, Mississippian, East St. Louis,
Illinois. 57
10. Flat circular architectonic shapes. 65
Volume I
List of Illustrations
figure page
21. Michael Heizer. "Complex One/City." 202
22. Walter de Maria. "Lightning Field." 206
23. Robert Smithson. "Spiral Jetty." 210
24. Charles Ross. "Sunlight Convergence/Solar Burn." 217
25. Composition with images of a shaman, bison, and a
rhinocerous, from the cave of Lascaux, France,
c. 17000 BCE. 262
26. Manitokanac figure, Ojibway, c. 1870. 281
Volume II
Volume II
List of Illustrations
figure page
38. Eva Manly. "Seaweed Circle." 139
39. Jody Pinto. "Fingerspan Bridge." 148
40. Charles Ross. "Star Axis" excavation site,
view S. 157
41. James Schoppert. "Blueberries." 170
42. Tal Streeter, "Dragon Stair." 179
43. Meryl Taradash. "Wings of Light." 197
44. Carla Whiteside. "Le Premier Recit: Qui la
separait des tenebres (The first book: was
divided from the darkness)." 210
Volume I
List of Tables
Table page
1. Summary of Raw Materials, Structural Types, and
Built Forms in Amerindian Architecture 73
2. Artist's Questionnaire Response Rate 337
3. Highest Level of Education Completed by Ethnicity 363
4. Studio Art Training by Sex 364
Table page
18. Sex Difference in the Experience of Kratophany 381
19. Frequency in Artist's Lifetime of Visionary
Experiences 386
20. Sex Difference in the Age for Obtaining a Vision 387
21. Types of Paranormal Experiences Reported by
Artists 390
22. Sources of Influence upon Arts Imagery 397
23. Ethnicity Difference in Personal Interest in
Earthworks 399
24. A Comparison of Interest in Earthworks and Types
of Paranormal Experiences Reported by Artists 400
PRIMARY DOCUMENTS
1. Artist's Statements and Interviews
SECONDARY DOCUMENTS
<B>2. Art Criticism</B>
<B>3. Shamanism</B>
West, Paul. "A Death I May Have Caused," <B>New York Times
Book Review</B>, May 13, 1990. p.13.
Wijsenbeek, L.J.F. "Mondrian und Kandinsky: Theosophische
Einflusse in den Jahren 1905 bis 1910," <B>Pantheon</B>,
issue 43 (1985). pp. 141-143.
<B>7. Topofilia</B>
<B>9. Miscellany</B>