Pilgrimage through Art

This is a talk I gave for Spirit of the Senses in Phoenix on April 26.

Spirit of the Senses: A Pilgrimage Through Art

I am delighted to speak with you about pilgrimage. However, this time, it is not a physical journey toward a sacred site. Instead, it is an inward journey—a pilgrimage through art, leading to the inner landscape of the soul. The path to this inner world is through creative art contemplation.

My talk will be structured in three parts:

1. Understanding Creative Art Contemplation – I will introduce the method and explain how it works.
2. Experiencing Art Contemplation Through Writing – I will read an excerpt from my upcoming book. It will be published at the end of May 2025.
3. A Hands-on Exercise – We will engage in a practical exercise. You will look at a piece of art for several minutes. Observe what you see, feel, and think. You may share it with the group.

How Did Creative Art Contemplation start?

The method of creative art contemplation developed organically over time. More than 25 years ago, I taught art history at various American universities. During this time, I observed that many students barely engaged with the artwork. I also noticed that the average museum visitor spends little more than a minute in front of a piece. Yet, true understanding of art requires deep observation.

During this period, I also began practicing Soto Zen meditation. Around the same time, I encountered creative writing, inspired by Natalie Goldberg’s book Writing Down the Bones. I explored this practice both independently and in writing groups. Eventually, I had an idea:

Why not combine art appreciation with meditation and creative writing?

What is Creative Art Contemplation?

To explain, let’s take a journey to the Kunsthistorisches Museum in Vienna, where I now go to very often.

Creative art contemplation is a group activity involving at least two participants. The process unfolds in four key steps:

1. Choosing an Artwork
   • Ideally, the choice is left to chance.
   • In structured settings, I selected the artwork for students. This ensured an element of surprise. For example, when I taught at Sigmund Freud University, I did this routinely.
   • In smaller groups, we use a playful numbers game to randomly select a piece.
2. Observing and Writing
   • As you engage with the artwork, you really need to look what is there. At the same time, thoughts, emotions, memories, and sensations arise.
   • Start writing freely, recording everything that comes to mind. Trust the beginner’s mind”. This is not an exercise to show your knowledge.
   • Write continuously, without pausing, editing, or censoring yourself.
   • This practice quiets the inner critic and helps bypass the restless, wandering mind.
   • If your thoughts stop, simply reconnect with the artwork.
   • This phase lasts approximately 30 minutes.
3. Sharing the Experience
   • Once writing is complete, participants gather in a quiet space—often the Kuppel Café at the Kunsthistorisches Museum.
   • Each person reads their reflections aloud.
4. Just listening
   • With no judgment of critique, just listen. This deep exchange allows the artwork to expand and come alive, fostering a profound connection among participants.

The Four Pillars of Creative Art Meditation

1. Perceiving – Engaging deeply with the artwork.
2. Writing – Capturing spontaneous thoughts and emotions.
3. Communicating – Sharing without inhibition.
4. Listening – Absorbing others’ experiences without judgment.

I hope this experience is both enriching and transformative for you.

Excerpt from My Upcoming Book (will be published May 2025)

In this book, I weave together art, dreams, imaginations, real events and philosophical considerations. Everything is like a dream, or is one reality. The intention is to wake up.

My gaze falls upon a young woman, standing in the doorway, her expressive eyes look onto mine. My presence has startled her—just as hers surprises me.

She is wrapped in a heavy brown fur stole, which has slipped, almost accidentally, from her right shoulder, revealing the curve of her bare breast. Was she expecting someone else? Her right hand grasps the fur, her bent arm now subtly framing her exposed skin. With her left arm, she pulls the stole closer, but not in haste.

She remains composed.

Her gaze is unwavering, her expression unreadable. I notice that the rich brown of her eyes mirrors the deep tones of the fur. She is a seductive beauty, her sensuality heightened by a delicate pearl necklace encircling her throat, pearls adorning her dark hair, and tiny drops hanging playfully from her ears.

A smile appears on her lips—a smile that invites desire.

What man can resist this woman?

Throughout history, women’s smiles have inspired poets and painters alike. Titian, Leonardo da Vinci, and Rubens captured similar expressions; Petrarch immortalized his muse in poetry. But was it love they sought—or the desire to possess?

Above the doorway, I now notice an inscription:

“I am hungry, I want your mouth.
I desire the lightning that burned into your beauty.
I want to eat the fleeting shadow of your eyelashes.“

— Pablo Neruda

Just as I try to make sense of these words, a second figure emerges behind the young woman.

She is older, her features worn, her eyes devoid of joy. Her headscarf blends into her pale, almost marble-like face. She reminds me of Roman matron statues, frozen in time. Furrows of age carve deep into her face, her cheeks are sunken, her neck lined like a plowed field in autumn.

Does she belong to the young woman? A mother? A guardian?

Her gaze—empty, knowing—sends a chill down my spine. She does not speak, yet her presence speaks volumes.

A gust of wind stirs the white lace curtain, and suddenly, she is gone.

Final Thoughts This experience of art—of seeing, feeling, and writing—transforms a simple painting into a portal of personal reflection.

I hope this practice allows you to see beyond the surface of art and discover the inner landscapes of your own soul.

Let us begin.