Master Class THE MIRROR OF MAGIC: Animating Artforms through Ritual and Visionary Practice by Emily Hunt

Description

“The Mirror of Magic: Animating Artforms through Ritual and Visionary Practice is a five-day intensive program from October 05 – 09, 2026 that bridges academic research on esoteric traditions in art with hands-on, practical workshops designed to enhance technical skills for contemporary art practice. Drawing inspiration from surrealist artist Kurt Seligmann’s seminal book, The Mirror of Magic, this course focuses on magick, symbolism, and artistic creation, inviting participants to engage not only with history and material skill but also with inner work as part of an expanded creative methodology. We will examine the role of the spiritual in art across the avant-garde, surrealism and the occult revival, and consider how these modes can be articulated within contemporary practice. Throughout the week, participants will cultivate an embodied experience of esoteric concepts, approaching them through both rigorous study and creative practice.

Each day of the program is centered around a specific theme, introduced through a detailed visual lecture, and followed by an experimental material-based workshop. Participants will engage with historical and contemporary esoteric traditions, while acquiring new technical knowledge in various artistic mediums, including drypoint, miniature ceramics, marbling ceramics, simple puppetry, papier-mâché, collage/text, and maquette model making.

Building on the foundation laid by the first edition of Drawing Down the Moon, The Mirror of Magic expands the research and material explorations into new technical territories. Led by a practicing artist, participants will gain firsthand experience with materials and techniques that may be unfamiliar, enabling them to bring these experiments back to their own studios for further exploration. This course is a standalone experience, open to both new participants and those who attended the first masterclass.

In addition to the practical workshops, this edition of the masterclass offers a considered theoretical and historical background on art that engages with the history of Western Esotericism. Subjects covered include divinatory tablets, visionary architecture, the creation of poppets/puppets, the representation of witches in visual art, and the Cut-Up collage method.” (Text by courtesy of Emily Hunt)