Throughout history art has been a manifestation in the material world of a spiritual reality. For example in cave paintings we see the essence of the animal, in ancient Egypt the archetypal experience of incarnating into our physical bodies, in Raphael the reality of the Madonna, in Rembrandt the truth of light and darkness. In the late 1800’s as art threatens to turn toward the naturalistic artists begin look toward essence in a new way. We can follow a search for artistic truth moving from Picasso and Matisse to Rothko, Motherwell and Ryman.

Then Beuys redefines art, not as the object, but as the intention of the artist being manifested and understood by the viewer. In order for us to understand this new definition we must for a time abandon the object. Otherwise we would still be attached to whether the object speaks to us on an aesthetic level. But once we have understood this new definition of art: the manifestation of an intention, ( a nonmaterial reality), and it’s comprehension, (another nonmaterial reality), we can reclaim the object. That is, the next step is to intentionally manifest spiritual, (non material) reality in such a way that the object becomes able to speak of the artist’s intention. For example, if my intention is to have my viewer experience the essential difference between light and darkness, my object should reveal this difference without my having to explain my intention. We are now faced with the question, “can truth be perceived in the object?”

This exhibit begins with “simple” truths, dark and light, straight and curved lines, single colors, and moves toward the manifestation of more complex intentions, quiet versus noise, pathways and doorways, to the very complex intentions, such as the experience of the out pouring of God, a human relationship, or a leap of faith.

By moving the viewer though a progressive series of experiences it is hoped that an experiential explanation of this step in art of “reclaiming the object” will become available.