The Vessel (2015)
Oil on canvas 48 x 72 inches by Patrick McGrath Muñiz.
Available at Evoke Contemporary
As a painter with a
passion for history I always find new material and sources of inspiration to
inform my art. Nearly 10 years ago I introduced Christian Iconography into my
work derived from Spanish Colonial Art. At the same time I was interested in
finding parallels between narratives and recurring archetypes from the past to
the present. In the last 10 years I've gradually expanded the visual vocabulary
adding more complexity and interpretations to the work. From the study and use
of Spanish colonial narratives and the Catholic pantheon of saints to the
present neo-colonial global narratives and the current capitalist pantheon of
transnational corporations, I soon started noticing a hidden pattern that could
be drawn further back in time.
Ashé (2015)
Oil and gold leaf on panel 12 x 24 inches by Patrick McGrath Muñiz
Private collection
The ancient pagan gods
of the Roman Empire seemed to be alive in the guise of Virgins, Saints and
Angels. Now I could start drawing the line between gods, heroes, saints and
corporations. After reading Cosmos and Psyche by Richard Tarnas, I realized
there was indeed a good reason to suspect a connection and it led me up to the
starry night and the study of archetypal astrology. The old gods became even
more real when I understood the relation between certain planetary alignments
and significant world events that affected the course of history. The artist soul thrives with curiosity for
many things besides his/her art and never ceases to be fascinated and inspired
by unseen connections that can be detected by his/her own creative mind. This I
believe is the driver of creativity.
Deuscubrimiento (2010)
Oil on canvas 50 x 38 inches by Patrick McGrath Muñiz
Private Collection
So far my research has led me to study
Astrology, Alchemy and Tarot. While they all show many variants, theories and
uses depending on who you read or talk to, astrology stands firmly across the
ages as the oldest of the three with consistent verifiable results. From
alchemy we got chemistry, from astrology, astronomy. Tarot seems to be a
totally different study. They all share some mystical core concepts but
originate in different times and places and lead into different paths. If
astrology was like a Solar system, alchemy would be a planet and Tarot a moon. It
is much easier and accessible to study a moon but this shouldn't keep us from
studying the whole Solar system and beyond. An artist should always keep an open mind to
the mystical realm and with this attitude his/her inner creative child is
nurtured.
La Rueda Arquetipica Neo-Colonial (2011)
Oil on moving panels 36 x 36 inches by Patrick McGrath Muñiz
Private collection
Although the date is
still unclear, card games originated in China and made their way into the
Islamic world during the 13th Century. Subsequently the Mamluk cards were introduced
to Europe in the 14th century and it became
widely produced during the Renaissance. The
cards which had been based on Middle Eastern models were adopted by the Europeans
who started creating cards that reflected
their local European cultures, carrying much of the symbolism and imagery
prevalent by the time. The Tarot really began around the first half of 15th
century Italy. The Visconti Tarot is an Italian deck dating around 1450 in
Milan and it's the earliest most complete surviving deck that we have. The
earliest Tarot decks contain characters from late mediaeval tradition such as knaves,
knights, queens and kings with symbolic objects like coins, staffs, swords and
cups. But what distinguishes the Tarot from any other four suit deck of playing
cards is the Major Arcana which are 22. It has captivated the imagination of
artists and occultists throughout the last 5 centuries. Even though today it is
hard to disassociate Tarot from fortune telling, the Tarot initially did not
start out as a divination device. From playing cards they were also used as mnemonic
and educational tools for upper-class children (such as the Mantegna Tarocchi).
It wasn't until the middle of the 18th century that we find a documented
evidence for its use as a divination tool.
Study of Major Arcana or Main Archetypes of the Tarot (2012)
Drawing Journal by Patrick McGrath Muñiz
My first Tarot deck was
the Rider-Waite (1910), the one most people know of and use today. But at the
time I was not ready to understand the importance and impact this device would
have in my art. It wasn't until I acquired the Tarot of the Saints by Robert Place and read his books on Tarot several years ago that I got really
interested in learning more about this mystery tradition. I soon found an
interesting relation between the Tarot and all the subjects that had been of my
sources of inspiration for my art. In the cards I could see the astrological
signs, the ancient gods, the Christian saints and even the modern day
corporations and consumer culture icons. I could see a multiplicity of forms
from the highest to the lowest converge into a single encyclopedia of timeless
archetypes.
My appreciation for the
cards and the images in them has grown since and the way I incorporate them in
my art is far from the common use of fortune telling. As an artist, I see these cards
is as an archetypal encyclopedia of 78 icons and symbols that can be re-interpreted
in a similar way we interpret a painting at a museum. My fascination for the
cards derives out of the same pleasure of knowing and not knowing at the same time
what the images are about. It is the same sensation one has when confronted
with a great masterpiece of art. The allure of a an enigmatic image never
ceases to draw interest and attention from the viewer and that is what makes
the Tarot so appealing today. It is a timeless work of art open to
re-interpretation and re-creation.
Some of my paintings
include images of the cards. Some are copies from the Tarot of Marseille (The
earliest deck to achieve widespread fame) but most are my own interpretations
of the cards. They often appear on the edges and frames of my paintings adding
an extra layer of content that modifies the context of the central composition.
I am fully aware of the popular connection between Tarot and divination and
that plays into the narrative as well. But my primary interest in the Tarot
lies within its archetypal significance and how it may affect the interpretation
of a piece. I'm also interested in how the Tarot can be relevant to our current
global issues. Whether one uses it for divination, or just for the pleasure of collecting, the Tarot should be considered as a powerful creative tool for artists and writers who wish to explore and create new narratives in art and literature. The more I use the Tarot
and incorporate it into my work, the more I learn from it and the combinations and possible narratives seem endless.
