Myth in Alchemy
By Brian Cotnoir
Myth in Alchemy looks at the use of Greco-Roman Egyptian mythology in the practice of alchemy. Myths, such as, The Odyssey of Homer, the 12 Labors of Hercules, Isis and Osiris, and others, were thought to be metaphors for the materials and processes involved in alchemical transmutation whether of matter or of soul. This zine will unpack some of these meanings in a few examples from alchemical texts and take a look at Giordano Bruno’s use of myth in his geometry and his art of memory.
By Brian Cotnoir
Myth in Alchemy looks at the use of Greco-Roman Egyptian mythology in the practice of alchemy. Myths, such as, The Odyssey of Homer, the 12 Labors of Hercules, Isis and Osiris, and others, were thought to be metaphors for the materials and processes involved in alchemical transmutation whether of matter or of soul. This zine will unpack some of these meanings in a few examples from alchemical texts and take a look at Giordano Bruno’s use of myth in his geometry and his art of memory.
By Brian Cotnoir
Myth in Alchemy looks at the use of Greco-Roman Egyptian mythology in the practice of alchemy. Myths, such as, The Odyssey of Homer, the 12 Labors of Hercules, Isis and Osiris, and others, were thought to be metaphors for the materials and processes involved in alchemical transmutation whether of matter or of soul. This zine will unpack some of these meanings in a few examples from alchemical texts and take a look at Giordano Bruno’s use of myth in his geometry and his art of memory.
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Khepri Press
Leaflet Zine, 24 pages.
About the Author
Brian Cotnoir is an alchemist, artist and Emmy award-winning filmmaker. His books include Alchemy: The Poetry of Matter, Practical Alchemy: A Guide to the Great Work, Alchemical Meditations, On the Quintessence of Wine and the Emerald Tablet. His film work has been screened at the Museum of Modern Art, Sundance Film Festival, HBO, PBS and other international venues.
Description
The Alchemical Wedding, or the union of opposites, is the sought after moment, the turning point in the process to perfection. This is often depicted as a King and Queen in sexual union, or as a “Rebis,” a hermaphroditic being with two heads. This zine looks at this union in relation to ideas of perfection, the “place” of this union, and ideas of perfectibility through human action both on an inner personal level and in the social political sphere.
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