The artist-shaman and primitivism

Abstract

One may ask: What is the relationship between shamanic artists and contemporary artists working on prehistoric models? Few recognise that the relationship actually is very important. I feel that many contemporary artists use traditional shamanic techniques to achieve the spiritual and metaphysical content in their work. It has been said that certain works by individual artists could heal or benefit an audience of viewers or an entire community. Unfortunately few artists regarded prehistoric and other forms of ‘primitive’ art with a potent shamanic content. Many are more interested in the formal aspect. Some of these artists engage themselves in private and painful ‘vision quests’ in their secular search for the sacred. This is why I see that an aspect of Shamanism is being practised today by some contemporary artists, in order to restore and show society the lost spiritual visions of life. One has also to keep in mind that a number of artists are not conscious of themselves as being ‘shamans’ and those who relate to this shamanic quest may at times use shamanic imagery without being aware of its content.