 |
The Art of DANIEL GAUTIER
Daniel Gautier's most recent group of paintings are termed the "Ideograms." In these paintings the artist translates various philosophical, psychological and metaphysical concepts into visual form. The paintings are divided into different categories, which include the Kabbalistic, the Sankhya, the Gnostic and Orphic series. In some cases the artist reinterprets traditional iconographic themes, those repeating images found throughout Western art history. However, he is not simply approaching these images as historical or religious icons but as archetypes and categories of consciousness or as defined by Platonism, as variations on the Eternal Ideas.
The artist's primary intent is to interpret the quintessential energy or Idea behind the symbolic or phenomenal form.
Mr. Gautier is currently writing a book, THE SECOND POWER: THE WORLD AS ENERGY AND NUMBER-AS-IDEA, which summarizes the philosophical and aesthetic ideas which guide his art. THE SECOND POWER examines man and the Cosmos as an expression of two primal principles, those dialectical forces which pervade nature and the human psyche.
Some motifs discussed in The Second Power relate directly to the author's paintings: the Apollonian/Dionysian dyad, emanationism, the Promethean creative fire, the spiraling "Jacob's Ladder" archetype.
THE SECOND POWER attempts to provide a form of "unified field theory," explaining all phenomena and human endeavor (art, literature, philosophy, history, religion and science) as expressions of an unchanging universal "Law," an abstract Seed-pattern Mr. Gautier terms the PENTADIC MATRIX. All his art, paintings, poetry, nonfiction, music, dance, children's book's, novels, provide extended variations of this single Pentadic theme.
|
BIO
Born and raised in Miami, Florida, Mr. Gautier received his B.A. from Duke University, and his M.F.A. from Florida State University. He has been living and working in the San Francisco Bay area for over 15 years.
Mr. Gautier's paintings and drawings have been exhibited in numerous galleries and museums. His art has been featured in magazines and on album covers. His most recent group of paintings are entitled the "Ideograms." He has created a multi-media performance piece, entitled "Songs of Creation," to accompany these works. For his prior group of paintings, entitled, "Dreams of the Mask," he also produced a multi-media performance work, incorporating his art, music, verse and dance. This performance was funded by a grant from the Peninsula Foundation.
Mr. Gautier has recorded two albums of original music, ELEMENTAL DREAMS and ISLAND OF THE MOON, and gives regular concerts of his musical compositions.
Mr. Gautier has authored articles and book reviews for Gnosis and Crescent magazines, and has had two books of poetry published by Phoenixwing Press. He was published in the book, MYSTERIES OF THE CATHEDRALS, by Vakler Press. He has written/illustrated three children's books. He is creator of original illuminated manuscripts, his latest being a cosmological/mystical treatise entitled, APHORISMS OF LIGHT: THE HERMETIC WISDOM. He recently wrote a novel, MASTER OF THE GUILD, which draws upon the legends of Orpheus and Parsifal, as well as elements of the Western esoteric tradition.
Trained in the disciplines of Kabbalah, Tantra, and Neoplatonism, Mr. Gautier has lectured on the subjects of art history, comparative religion and philosophy at universities, bookstores, and art galleries.
|
|
|
|
