Art as 'Technology of Enchantment': Artist as 'Occult Technician'

Today I read 'The Technology of Enchantment and the Enchantment of Technology' by Alfred Gell in an effort to understand how art works, its role within society and the relationship between art, magic, and technical efficacy. This is part of my broader investigation into the power and the role of art and the artist.

Firstly, let's start by defining what is meant by the word 'occult'. It is not meant here as some sort of dark, shady thing. Occult means hidden meaning. In Latin, it was used to refer to the hidden or unseen properties of things. It refers to forces that are unseen or behave in a secretive or mysterious manner. With this definition in mind, it becomes clear that this is the artist's 'material without form'.

Framing the artist as a kind of 'occult technician' offers a way of explaining the way of the artist to help shape a fuller understanding of reality. The idea that art can transcend its materiality to become a tool for evoking profound psychological or spiritual experiences makes a lot of sense. Art gestures towards unspoken truths, picking up where science drops off and past the limitations of the thinking mind - making visible the hidden and reconnecting seemingly disparate worlds.

Technical Virtuosity

Technical virtuosity is a term that Gell used to explain how an artist's standing is elevated within a social structure based on their perceived skill. We tend to view artists as having supernatural skills and the perception of the artist as a magician gives them this social power, according to Gell. We attribute a sense of magic and this is what sets the artist apart. The description of the artist as an 'Occult Technician', making the invisible visible, resonated strongly with me.

Scheme Transfer

How you do one thing is how you do everything. (Buddhism)

Another interesting thing that Gell introduces is the concept of 'scheme transfer'. The technical process of creating art can often become a metaphor for other social processes. The way peoples create art is reflective of the values they want in their society. This is akin to what Ingold talks about in Imagining for Real - we are in turn created in the act of creation. Metaphors for social harmony / change / order are imbued in the processes of production.

During protests or political upheavals, street art or graffiti is an example of scheme transfer where the act of creating art itself becomes a metaphor for resistance, community solidarity, and the reclamation of public space.

London graffiti: 12 “core socialist values” propagated by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP)

Art starts, interrupts, and facilitates conversations. Expression begets expression. The example of seemingly nationalistic Chinese students in London advocating concepts of Marxism and decolonisation through graffiti trumpeting Chinese Political Slogans is a wonderful example of the depth of debate art can stir up.

Art brings into the open hidden tensions and contradictions. Wang Hanzheng, the artist behind the graffiti stated “Art is really about how to reflect what’s in the public and give the public a space to discuss and reflect on their own". Commenting on the local council's decision to paint over the 12 words (“freedom,” “democracy,” civility,” “justice,” “the rule of law,” “harmony,” “prosperity,” “equality,” “patriotism,” “dedication,” “integrity,” and “friendliness.”), Hanzheng said "You cannot solve the problem of totalitarianism through totalitarian means.”

It is clear that art confronts us with cultural and social commentary. Due to its ability to position itself as an observer of 'the system', it has the power to provide perspective, critique, shift opinions and ignite change by making the invisible visible. Art stimulates, encourages and ignites the imagination. In this sense, the production of social relations via art is a critical element of human culture.

Performance & Ritualised Action

Art is a technology that societies use to shape the world. It is not just about the objects that are create but the entire system of beliefs that surround it.

[To be continued]