In ancient Egypt the Godesses Isis and Nephthys were sisters whose parents Geb and Nut symbolised Earth and Sky. The siblings represent opposites with Isis being day and Nephthys night. They also stood for, life and death, the outer and the inner, order and chaos. Nephthys is sometimes described as ‘The Hidden One’ who governs magic and all the work out of sight and behind the scenes. Keeping it in the family, her son was Anubis whose task it was to accompany the dead from ‘The Weighing of the Heart’ ceremony through to the after life and re-birth.
In the process of making Art I often think about these life and death processes that begin with the conception of an idea through to their physical manifestation. Or sometimes the impulse to create something but then the death of that life force as it encounters self-doubt and withdraws into self-consciousness. How do we keep the life of an idea moving forward? In the physical creation of Art - be it painting, music, writing, building or designing how important is it that the work finally gets seen or experienced?
The idea of the hidden and the revealed has always fascinated me. One of my ongoing projects is the exploration of Art making that has no physical manifestation whatsoever. Is it possible to make Art that is not experienced? What if I create a body of work physically, which no one knows about and then I secretly bury it somewhere never to be found? Or what if I simply keep creating Art that just remains only experienced by me? Then the question is, what is the point of making it in the first place? Is Art making an act of service to humanity and to life itself? If so does the Artist then have a responsibility to share and release their work?
In 2021 I took part in a group exhibition and sold two pieces. This was a new experience for me. I had worked as a designer for decades before becoming a therapist and have only been making Art for the past 2 years, I’m now 54. In design others would take on my creative ideas in order to sell products and services and improve their business. It was not for personal pleasure or joy. The feeling that someone falls in love with your creation and then wants to possess it so that it becomes part of their day to day life is an incredible feeling. I have collected other Artist’s works (painting and books), which are now part of the fabric of my life and become like background notes. The act of releasing Artwork in order for it to take on a life of its own and so that others can have a new relationship with it is an Isis (life-giving) experience with the movement out into the light of being.
However, the Nephthys experience of the hidden is something I’m much more familiar with. As an introvert I’m at home in my own space doing my own thing, hiding away. However, in thinking about putting my work out there as an act service I find this very helpful. Then, can I stand the idea that others may dislike it or love it and that I have no control over which way this goes? If I’m honest the thing I fear most in sharing my work is indifference. The fact that it may be out there in the light of day but still remain hidden and invisible. This is the real heart ache. The blah response. If I can withstand the possibility of indifference then anything goes, surely?
So, in writing this blog am I hoping that others will see it and resonate with it and how important is that? In my mind there is always an audience of some sort who are either saying - “How amazing! That’s really interesting and helpful, thank you” or “God you’re boring. Who the hell do you think you are?”. But generally I’d say that the main thing I’m conscious of is simply the desire to say this and to put it into words. Do I mind if no one reads it or cares about it? Yes, but should that stop me from putting it out there? No. Why? Because however small, unseen or unappreciated it may be it remains a contribution to the field of creativity, which is a spiritual matter and, if nothing else, the creation of this helps me craft and deepen my own understanding.
The role of the Egyptian symbolism is to guide us back into the truth of our hearts. By encouraging
us to trust in the unavoidable life and death process they can help to bring us back into balance. Here, the hidden being equally as important as the revealed where the movement out needs too also return and that there can be too much darkness just as there can be too much light (over exposure). ‘The weighing of the heart ceremony’ is at the center of ancient Egypt where one’s heart is weighed at the time of death against the feather of Ma’at. I interpret this as the need to lighten up and not take it all too seriously. With this in mind I love how the Sufis have a practice of continually turning to the light. They embrace the darkness but keep turning - fueled only by joy, beauty and love.
In the end, whether our Art is seen or remains hidden, how can we get ourselves out of the way and be the witnessing presence rather than just the all important creator?
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