The Masonic Presence in Contemporary Art

This study examines the coexistence of traumatic
themes and Masonic content in the work of
contemporary visual artists. The project originated
with a discovery of the depiction in my own artwork,
produced in the context of a professional art career,
of traces of terrifying early initiatory experiences
in the context of a Masonic Lodge and using Masonic
ritual and regalia. Recent research into cult
practices has indicated the existence of the Masonic
ritual abuse of children, based on the reports of a
substantial number of survivors in western countries.
Premised on this discovery, the study constitutes a
feminist and interdisciplinary investigation into the
impact of hidden fraternal initiation practices on
the production of contemporary art. Case studies
include the work of the American artists Matthew
Barney, Paul McCarthy and Mark Ryden, and the
Australian artist Ken Unsworth. Incorporating
insights from trauma theory, scholarly discussions of
initiation rites and ritual abuse, combined with
knowledge of Masonic practices, this groundbreaking
study sheds new light on these artists work.

Autorentext

Lynn Brunet, PhD, is an Australian art historian and practising artist. She was a lecturer in Creative Arts at the University of Wollongong from 1991 to 1996 and a lecturer in Art History and Theory at the University of Newcastle from 1997 to 2007. She currently lives in Melbourne where she is pursuing independent research in the creative arts.

Klappentext

This study examines the coexistence of traumatic themes and Masonic content in the work of contemporary visual artists. The project originated with a discovery of the depiction in my own artwork, produced in the context of a professional art career, of traces of terrifying early initiatory experiences in the context of a Masonic Lodge and using Masonic ritual and regalia. Recent research into cult practices has indicated the existence of the Masonic ritual abuse of children, based on the reports of a substantial number of survivors in western countries. Premised on this discovery, the study constitutes a feminist and interdisciplinary investigation into the impact of hidden fraternal initiation practices on the production of contemporary art. Case studies include the work of the American artists Matthew Barney, Paul McCarthy and Mark Ryden, and the Australian artist Ken Unsworth. Incorporating insights from trauma theory, scholarly discussions of initiation rites and ritual abuse, combined with knowledge of Masonic practices, this groundbreaking study sheds new light on these artists' work.