regarding spirituality

The realm of the spiritual is mysterious and inviting. It is a place where we are encouraged to explore the unknown; to search, ponder, and reflect. It is a place where we can gain a greater knowledge of self and sometimes, sometimes, even find illumination.

There is no definitive map or designated entrance to this state of mind- we are each on our own when it comes to accessing the spiritual. ->unexpected place

Agnes Martin and Mark Rothko
AM-creating a body of deceptively simple minimalist paintings that speak worlds to those who choose to take an extended look and open themselves up to them.
Her paintings manifest a meditative effort on the part of the artist and invite viewers to respond in kind. With a relative modicum of line and color, and everpresent traces of the hyman hand, Martin's paintings invite quiet contemplation. Rigid through they may seem, their perfection lies in their imperfection; as in nature, ther are no perfectly straight lines in a Martin painting.

"The great and fatal pitfall in the art field and in life is dependence on the intellect rather than inspiration."
She writes of perfection and of ideals; about truth, beauty, and the sublime; and of being open to self-discovery and fully aware of everything around you, both large and samll.
Happiness is the result of being fully open and receptive to what life offers us, or in her own words:"Happiness is being on the beam with life - to feel the pull of life."

MR sought the sublime in a form of purity through a fundamental use of color, line, and shape.

James Turrell, Ann Hamiton, John Feodorv, Shahzia Sikander, and Berly Korot

JT's particular gift is in allowing us to have a unique and intimate experience with light and to feel its transcendent power.
Hamilton's and Turrell's works take us into the realm of the spiritual by engaging the sensorium, by making us hyperaware of that which is around us.
Art has that rare ability ro make us pause, reflect, and explore our innermost being. It is a key that can unlock countless doors, opening our eyes, our minds, and our hearts. As Thomas Merton, one of the twentieth century's great theologians, has written:

In art we find ourselves and lose ourselves at the same time.

from A Thomas Merton reader (1974)

Ernesto Neto