NINA KOKKINEN Artists as truth-seekers Focusing on agency and seekership in the study of art and occulture DOI: https://doi.org/10.30664/ar.98310 Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) his article focuses on the concept of the more deeply the connections between seeker and considers how the analytical modern art and esotericism. He noticed, tool of seekership, defined and developed T for example, how the seemingly abstract in the sociology of religion, could be applied to the study of art and esotericism. The theoret­ forms Wassily Kandinsky used in his art ical argument is made more tangible with the had similarities with the ideas and visual ex ample of the Finnish artist Akseli Gallen­ culture of Theosophy. The analogies Kallela (1865–1931), whose life story, art and between Symbolist art theory and esoteric writings resonate with the concept of seeker­ ship. The ways in which Gallen­Kallela writes world­­views were also discovered early on about his interest in esotericism and the dawn (see e.g. Sarajas-Korte 1966; Burhan 1979). of the new age appear in a new light; as part Al though such connections between art of the processes of a spiritualisation of modern and esotericism were noted already in the art and religiosity. In addition, the article points out that the concept of seekership can offer new latter half of the twentieth century, the possibilities more generally for the study of art breadth and depth of these relations have and esotericism. Utilising the analytical tool of been understood only in recent years. Many seekership may be especially helpful regarding of the avant-garde artists, from Symbolists those artists who did not subscribe to any eso­ to Surrealists and Futurists, are now known teric movement or doctrine, but stressed a more individual relationship with the occulture of their to have utilised multifaceted possibilities of time. It will also provide an opportunity to out­ esoteric ideas and practices in their art. line how the connections between art and eso­ The wider public has learned about tericism have changed over different times and the important role esotericism has played places.1 in the history of modern art, especially through the work of the Swedish artist The Finnish art historian Sixten Ringbom and Theosophist-Anthroposophist Hilma (1966) was one of the first scholars to study af Klint (1862–1944). In recent years, her large-scale paint­­ings, produced under the 1 The article is based on my doctoral disser- guidance of the spirit world, have been ele- tation, written in Finnish (Kokkinen 2019). vated into the modernist canon of abstract I would like to thank Maija and Albion But- art (see e.g. Müller-Westermann and Widoff ters for translating the first version of this art icle at very short notice. I also warmly 2013). Inter est in the subject is reflected in thank Signe & Ane Gyllenberg’s foundation the fact that the exhibition Hilma af Klint: for the funding of the translation. Paintings for the Future, which ended in Approaching Religion • Vol. 11, No. 1 • March 2021 4 spring 2019 at the Guggenheim Museum in art ists interested in esotericism were not New York, became the most popular exhi- committed to them whole-heartedly or in bition in the history of the Guggenheim any official manner. However, the com pre- museums (Guggenheim press release hension of the relations between art and 2019). esotericism remains too narrow if the re­­ When studying the connections be­­­ search takes account only of the artists offi- tween art and esotericism, references are cially committed to certain esoteric cur- often made to different esoteric currents and rents, such as Hilma af Klint. When the move­­ments, such as The Hermetic Order focus is extended to artists who are known of the Golden Dawn or Joséphin Péladan’s to be interested in esotericism in one way Ordre du Temple de la Rose+Croix and or another, several new questions arise. the related art salons. Hilma af Klint, for When exactly can references to esotericism ex­­­ample, is known to have been a mem- be con sidered sufficient? Is it enough to ber of the Theosophical Society and own or read a book that is classified as eso- Rudolf Steiner’s Anthroposophical Soci- teric or to exploit alchemical iconography ety. Although certain currents quite rightly in art works? And how to react to ambiva- con­­stitute a kind of anchor for the study of lent state ments in which artists on the one art and esotericism, one must also be able hand express their interest in, for example, to contemplate such an ap­­proach from a The oso phy and, on the other hand, criticise critical point of view. How do we conceptu- it? alise esotericism when we focus our atten- In order to study an unofficial or looser tion firstly on such currents as The osophy, relationship with esotericism, a more sys- Spirit ual ism, or Anthropo sophy? Would it tematic methodology needs to be devel- be possible to approach eso­­­tericism is some oped. Utilising the concepts of seeker and other way? And what does esotericism refer seeking offer an opportunity to do this. It to if it is not under stood primarily in con- is an approach that shifts the emphasis nection with these currents? away from esoteric movements and brings The research focusing on different eso- forth a particular kind of religious or spir- teric currents or movements often relies on itual agency, determined by certain types of the historical definitions which have played social practices and discourses, as well as a significant role in the study of esotericism an ethos emphasising independence from since the 1990s. Historical ap­­proaches tend esoteric currents or any other ‘isms’. to work on the basis of different intuitive The analytical concept of the seeker is prototypical definitions, and esotericism is used in the sociology of religion to refer often seen to cover a variety of alternative to a socially-learned behavioural model or currents including, for example, alchemy, habitus typical of modern (and subsequent) Hermetic philoso phy, Rosicrucianism and religiosity. Seekers are usually described as Theosophy. One of the problems of such people who stress individuality and per- definitions is the fact, that there are diverg- sonal experience. Instead of committing ing intuitions on what esotericism consists them selves permanently to any religious of (Asprem 2014: 7–14; Hanegraaff2013 : or esoteric communities, seekers are dedi- 3–14). cated to a search for spiritual truths they When studying art and esotericism, can feel to be their own. Sociologists have focusing on different currents and move- written about seekers and seeking at least ­­ments is problematic also because many since the 1950s. In the early descriptions, Approaching Religion • Vol. 11, No. 1 • March 2021 5 Akseli Gallen­Kallela in a monk’s robe, 1928, photograph by Kirsti Gallen­Kallela, 56 x 85 mm. Gallen­Kallela Museum, Espoo. these intellectuals, critical of the Church 2010: ix–xii, 54–64) observes the esoteric and in search of a new perspective on reli- as being part of the broader social and cul- gion were called ‘metaphysical wanderers’ tural processes in which knowledge and and ‘occult seekers’. They were depicted identities are constructed. Instead of focus- as individuals drifting between religious ing on different esoteric currents, von alternatives, remaining open to the vari- Stuckrad pays attention to esoteric elem- ous views (often connected with esoteri- ents of discourse in European history. cism) but ultimately not subscribing to any Such elements relate to the idea of perfect of them.2 knowledge that can be revealed in a specific In this article, I will concentrate on the manner. In other words, esoteric discourses concept of the seeker and consider how are likened to ‘claims to “real” or absolute the analytical tool of seekership, de­­fined knowledge and the means of making this and developed in the sociology of reli- knowledge available’ (von Stuckrad 2005: gion, could be applied to the study of art 10). The esoteric is also closely related to and esotericism. Such an approach is dis- the idea of secrecy or to the dialectic of tanced from the historical definitions of the hidden and revealed; the rhetoric of a esotericism and attached more closely to hidden truth seems to hint that there exists the manner in which Kocku von Stuckrad a higher wisdom which can be unveiled in a has studied historical phenomena related specific way. Secrecy thus becomes a strat- to the esoteric. Von Stuckrad (2005: 9–11; egy that guarantees social capital for those who have heard about or have access to the hidden knowledge. 2 On the history of the concepts, see Sutcliffe The esoteric thus defined has a 2017. close connection with the sociological Approaching Religion • Vol. 11, No. 1 • March 2021 6 under­­standing of seekership. Seekers are as Edward Munch, August Strindberg, often searching for such a hidden, absolute Nicholas Roerich, and D. H. Lawrence, all knowl edge avoiding commitment to any of whom were interested in esoteric and cur rents, communities or dogmas. They mystical ideas in one way or another (see, may also be critical of some (esoteric) doc­­ e.g. Lahelma 2014: 184–202; Stasulane trines or currents – even the same ones 2013; Ballin 1978). they are clearly enthusiastic about. In many studies, seekership is associated with eso- Occulture, spirituality tericism or occultism in either one way or and the popularisation of seekership another (see, e.g. Lofland and Stark 1965: Seekership is closely related to two concepts 867–70; Campbell 2002: 15–17). that have been utilised in the study of art In order to make my argument more and esotericism.