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Artist Interview Phillip Rubinov Jacobson Q & A
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The Fire Opal Muse Phillip Rubinov Jacobson
Artist Interview Phillip Rubinov Jacobson Q & A
What is your name: Philip Rubinov Jacobson
Do you have a formal art education or are you a self taught artist: Although I hold 5 academic degrees in the Studio Arts, Psychology, Philosophy and Comparative Religion, I learned nothing in academia about 'how to paint'. Formal art education is engrossed in the 'what' to paint, as they too often have nothing to say or teach on the 'how'. There is little or no knowledge of methods and materials of painting in American art schools and universities. So much of what I know has come from self-study, experimentation and practice and from an invaluable apprenticeship with the great master Ernst Fuchs, when my study of old masters techniques ensued in Vienna, Austria. As a 19 - 20 year old American in Vienna, studying with this great master was indeed one of the most magical and mystical times of my life. I will forever honor and treasure that time. Ernst was my artistic father and reinforced my creativity as an artistic mystic, while he shared his knowledge of the old masters with me. He sparked the flame within me and fueled an honoring and perception of creative activity as a sacred and powerful practice. The experience was invaluable and magical.
What is the style of your pieces: Since I was a boy, I pursued artistic expression in a variety of styles and media. Although I have been identified with Fantastic Realism and Visionary Art, I am not solely one or the other. Many simply have never seen what may be called my Abstract, Expressionistic, Classical, Outsider, Folk-art, and pluralistic works. Despite the contemporary gallery emphasis and pressures on 'style' and 'series' works, it seemed rather limiting and extremely boring to be fixed and identified with any one style so I have always refused to allow myself to be limited and to enjoy my creative freedom. There is this intense tendency for the mind's reducing valve to put paInters in a designated drawer. I just paint without concern for that. It has always been unnatural for me to paint in 'one' style. In addition, I have always been suspicious of painters who created works that appeared relatively the 'same', decade after decade, as I did not see any growth in their work, any experimentation, searching or versatility. Versatility, a quality I most admire in artists, is not something valued by most galleries. It appears to me, that artists who have a show in which all the works look virtually the same, are simply living in one room, and only the wallpaper is changing a little. Often I use my artistic abilities to enter into and express something from a transpersonal state without the aid of drugs or entheogens of any kind. I suppose the best description for my work would be to call it an Integral Art or a Creatuitive Art that combines 'creativity and intuition' in my experience and search for revelation and a deeper expression.
Painting begins where words end and often fail us. Artists are commonly asked by galleries to write a statement on their artistic expression and their 'meanings'. Such a request presumes that the art itself is somehow disemboweled, defective and weak in its singular mode of communication and not 'bona fide' until described in words. The tyranny of the word over the image is still affecting the psyche the 21st century mind and heart, influencing all of the fine arts. Nonetheless, deep within today's order of consumerism, art's mystery is quietly injected into the material world by the Visionary Tribe. Artistic expression of the spirit eventually and inevitably seeps into the culture at large. A regenerating, rejuvenating and redeeming knowledge must fill the good works. For me to follow one line of aesthetic endeavor would never fulfill the scope of my search, it is as simple as that. Art playful and free, free to explore any means of expression. Although some of my work is serious, intense, I also know it is important to understand that every painting does not have to be a masterpiece, it can also be fun and bring happiness, humor, or contentment.
Painting begins where words end and often fail us. Artists are commonly asked by galleries to write a statement on their artistic expression and their 'meanings'. Such a request presumes that the art itself is somehow disemboweled, defective and weak in its singular mode of communication and not 'bona fide' until described in words. The tyranny of the word over the image is still affecting the psyche the 21st century mind and heart, influencing all of the fine arts. Nonetheless, deep within today's order of consumerism, art's mystery is quietly injected into the material world by the Visionary Tribe. Artistic expression of the spirit eventually and inevitably seeps into the culture at large. A regenerating, rejuvenating and redeeming knowledge must fill the good works. For me to follow one line of aesthetic endeavor would never fulfill the scope of my search, it is as simple as that. Art playful and free, free to explore any means of expression. Although some of my work is serious, intense, I also know it is important to understand that every painting does not have to be a masterpiece, it can also be fun and bring happiness, humor, or contentment.
What is the medium in which you work: In painting, I do contemporary works in a Renaissance approach of egg tempera and resin-oils, a method known as the 'mish', or mixed-technique, which comes down to us from the old Flemish and German masters such as Van Eyck, Memling, Durer and later Bocklin. I teach this rare knowledge of painting to a few private students locally and in my summer painting seminars in the USA, Austria and Italy. I have also worked in ceramic and bronze sculpture, printmaking, jewelry and as poet and writer on art, creativity, inspiration and aesthetics. As an artist, author, philosopher and teacher, I believe all my endeavors are inextricably and integrally combined, each direction contributing and working with the other. What I learn and feel, what I profess and teach, and what I artistically express, all reflect an underlying spiritual quest. Like in the secret doctrines of the ancients, this work is concerned with the mysteries of life and the perennial questions that arise from such a pursuit. The work of integral artists are preserved among a small band of initiated minds since the beginning of the world. And like the Great Arcanum of old, such works of art, through symbol, subtle aesthetic energies, allegory or abstraction, also offer keys that unlock a treasure house of artistic, philosophic, scientific and spiritual truths. The great art is a practice that casts aside the fallacies of dogma and tenet, expresses Goodness, Beauty and Truth and is never satisfied with anything substitute or counterfeit. Thus, whether I am painting, sculpting, teaching, writing on art or philosophy - it all comes back to a 'spiritual practice' to express a love for the mysteries and an attempt to unveil and share some partial aspect of the Invisible behind the Visible.
What started you on your path as an artist: My immersion on the path of art coincided with my learning to walk, but I could say that my grandfather, Samuel S.Cohen, a master artist in every media was highly encouraging. When I was a boy-artist, he would always say to me , in his W.C. Fields manner : "You're the best in the country!" Since I was a little boy, my grandfather and my parents were instrumental in instilling a sense of adventure, value and confidence on my path as an artist.
What is one of the most important things that art has brought to your life: The healing force of art has been an elixir for the physical, emotional and spiritual wounds and challenges I have had to overcome. Beyond that, art has led me into the calm vistas of truth, beauty and love and this has been and will continue to be an incredibly exhilarating journey. The noble mission of art is to serve and inspire illumination in self and others through an integrating and inherent living force that suspends the mind, causing the ego to temporarily lose its grip on its limited identification. I am speaking of an art that leaves us momentarily breathless, and carries us to the depths of our soul, or uplifts our spirits to lofty states in which we are dignified as human beings. In that, being an artist and engaged as a creative worker has given me the good fortune to meet some of the most extraordinary human beings of our time. Great lovers, poets, painters, musicians, scientists, philosophers, spiritual teachers and humanitarians have comprised a constellation of characters that have enriched my life. Art can take on a profound noetic quality and can bring new knowledge and insight when it moves beyond the superficial, decorative and fanciful and reveal insights that cannot be gained in any other way. This knowledge is acquired not by way of observation, but by way of participation and a fusion of spirit and matter. Perhaps most importantly, is the unswerving belief art has brought to my life; that Art is noble, and we are all ennobled by it, and that a significant art helps all of us to transcend our limited and frozen identities and move toward a more expansive experience of our self and infinite nature and the interconnectedness of all things.
What is your favorite genre of art besides the one you work in: If by genre' you mean 'style' or 'schools of art', then I am particularly moved by the Preraphaelites, German Expressionists, the Symbolists and High Renaissance art.
Do you have art showings, and if so what are they typically like: I have participated in 100+ exhibitions internationally, many of which have been one and two-person shows. I have enjoyed the manner in which the Europeans present an artist and their art. In Italy, Austria, Germany and so on, an esteemed delegate opens the show, speaks on the artist and their work, then the artist speaks to those who are attending the opening or 'vernisage'. A dialogue with the artist and responders ensue. It is a real 'living' and cultural experience that uplifts aesthetic awareness and educates. As a result, people relate more intimately with the art and understand and feel what is being presented to them. Here in the USA, an exhibition occurs, people wander aimlessly, stay for a while and leave. Often no one even knows who the artist is or what the art is about...there are no introductions, no relationships established, no awareness and understanding imparted....no dialogue. It is pitiful, empty, uninspired and sad. That needs to change.
Do you have a certain set of clothes you make art in: Unlike my mentor, Ernst Fuchs of Vienna, who paints in $3,000+ suits, I often paint naked, or in my underwear, or in funky old clothes. I like to be totally comfortable when I am painting.
What has been the most frustrating part of being an artist: As a central figure in what I call the Visionary Tribe, perhaps the most frustrating thing as a painter of visions, intuitive art and the spiritual imagination, is to see how the conventional art world has not been inclusive of this genre'. This has made the ability to survive and thrive a difficult challenge. In our time, the spiritual in anything is always challenged by a materialistic pop culture and economics. In the fine arts, it has become a matter of 'iconomics', and the work of a creative mystic in this economic structure has become a 'hard sell' in the art marketplace. So many fads, trends and superficial scams fill too many galleries and museums. Bad art is simply work that is 'vacant of feeling', and there are simply too many contemporary galleries and museums that present and support work that is simply uninspiring and vacant. The highest role of the artist is to INSPIRE, rather than make merely negative or empty, art that is without meaning, without feeling, without any sort of vision, instead of genuinely creative works that heal, unify, inspire an evolved awareness, higher ideal, vision or significant reality. Certainly there is room on the conventional art scene to also include an integral and deeper art, although we rarely see it. I am not talking about replacing the usual objects of modern art, but of including that which is intentionally left out. I can say that I am beginning to see the pendulum begin to swing back as people and responders to art, are no longer afraid to question what they see before them and are simply fed up with an art scene that embraces and enacts the story of the 'Emperor's New Clothes'. None of the above realities have slowed me down and I always move forward in my art and keep the flames blazing.
What is your favorite sandwich of all time: Well, when I was younger, it would be Philip sandwich between two beautiful girls, now...it is simply a Hot Pastrami sandwich or Brisket.
Has this year brought about any changes in your work, and if so what are they: Art is a fluid and sacred language that speaks to us, not only with a resonating solace and serenity but also with a powerful potential for transformation. It can be a sword of fiery change. Ordinary vision is nothing more than the physical encounter of the eye with the illusion of matter that strikes it. To live and dwell only in the state of ordinary vision is like walking around with snow on our heads, our imaginations frozen, our intuition and soul on ice. For an artist that has awakened to the Reality of the Spiritual Imagination behind the Illusion of Matter, the Invisible behind the Visible; changes in one's work is progressive, evolutionary and non-repetitive. I have always been fascinated with the infinite ways that light can play out in a painting. Lately, the focus of my painting has involved 'light' in its myriad manifestations as matter. I do this in numerous forms and ways. One of these ways has been in exploring and expressing the essence of gems and minerals. They hold a fascination for me as forms of 'solid light'. I find it challenging, technically, to paint such imagery. I have begun a number of paintings that involve 'muses' who are embodied or connected to a variety of gems and minerals...they are living entities, like goddesses that impart inspiration and light. This has been so much fun and has held such fascination for me. I have also been exploring the cross-roads between realism and abstraction in a number of works and trying to achieve a genuine integration between these two modes of expression.
Who is your favorite artist alive or dead: Michelangelo Buonarotti
What is the most moving piece of artwork that you have seen in person: Michelangelo's 'David', Arnold Bocklin's 'Isle of the Dead' and William Blake's original engravings all have touched me deeply.
Do you have any animals, and what do they think of your work: My little dog, Rumi, a Yorky, loves to sit and watch me paint all day. He loves my work and when I ask him if this or that particular piece is coming along well, he tilts his head and winks at me.
Do you have any up coming exhibitions you would like to share with us: I am currently searching for Gallery representation and/or commissions in Dallas, Fort Worth and Houston.
Some upcoming exhibitions I have been invited to participate in are:
The Annual Interdimensional Art 2009
May 3rd : San Francisco, California
Temple Nightclub - 540 Howard st.
May 9th : Montreal, Quebec
"Eastern Block" 7240 rue Clark
May 23rd : Seattle, Washington
Columbia City Theatre - 4918 Rainier Ave S
June 4th : Eugene, Oregon
Fenario Gallery - 881 Willamette St. Gallery opening with a month long viewing.
"Blu/Azzurro" Kunstlerhaus Graz, The Landesmuseum of Austria, June 18 to July 18, 2009.
'The Magical Mystery Tour' at the Mobile Art Museum, Dec.15 - Feb 15, 2010
http://www.rubinovs-lightning.com
214 564 0453
eyepaint4u@yahoo.com
Contact Person: Prof. Phil
The Kings Daydream Phillip Rubinov Jacobson
If you are an artist or gallery and would like to participate in an interview please email me at sivy221@aol.com
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