# Visionary art

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**Visionary art** is [art](/source/Art) that purports to transcend the physical world and portray a wider vision of [awareness](/source/Awareness) including [spiritual](/source/Spirituality) or [mystical](/source/Mystical) [themes](/source/Theme_(visual_arts)), or is based in such experiences.[1]

## History

The [Vienna School of Fantastic Realism](/source/Vienna_School_of_Fantastic_Realism), first established in 1946, is considered to be an important technical and philosophical catalyst in its strong influence upon contemporary visionary art.[2][3] Its artists included [Ernst Fuchs](/source/Ernst_Fuchs_(artist)), [Rudolf Hausner](/source/Rudolf_Hausner), [Arik Brauer](/source/Arik_Brauer), [Wolfgang Hutter](/source/Wolfgang_Hutter) and [Anton Lehmden](/source/Anton_Lehmden) among others. Several artists who would later work in visionary art trained under Fuchs, including [Mati Klarwein](/source/Mati_Klarwein), [Robert Venosa](/source/Robert_Venosa),[4] and [De Es Schwertberger](/source/De_Es_Schwertberger).

## Definition

Visionary art often carries themes of spiritual, mystical or inner awareness.[1] Despite this broad definition, there does seem to be emerging some definition to what constitutes the contemporary visionary art 'scene' and which artists can be considered especially influential. [Symbolism](/source/Symbolism_(arts)), [Cubism](/source/Cubism), [Surrealism](/source/Surrealism) and [Psychedelic art](/source/Psychedelic_art) are also direct precursors to contemporary visionary art. Notable visionary artists count [Hilma af Klint](/source/Hilma_af_Klint), [Hieronymous Bosch](/source/Hieronymous_Bosch), [William Blake](/source/William_Blake), [Morris Graves](/source/Morris_Graves) (of the Pacific Northwest School of Visionary Art), [Emil Bisttram](/source/Emil_Bisttram), and [Gustave Moreau](/source/Gustave_Moreau) amongst their antecedents.

## Schools and organizations

The [Vienna School of Fantastic Realism](/source/Vienna_School_of_Fantastic_Realism), which includes [Ernst Fuchs](/source/Ernst_Fuchs_(artist)) and [Arik Brauer](/source/Arik_Brauer), is also a strong influence on visionary culture. It may also be considered the European version, with the names being interchangeable.[citation needed]

The [Society for the Art of Imagination](/source/Society_for_the_Art_of_Imagination), founded by [Brigid Marlin](/source/Brigid_Marlin) serves as an important portal for visionary art events. More recently, a new wave of visionary artists collaborate to function as modern [cooperatives](/source/Artist_collectives) involved in self-publishing and promotion of visionary artists through the internet and via festivals such as [Burning Man](/source/Burning_Man) and [Boom Festival](/source/Boom_Festival), and exhibition/ritual spaces such as [Temple of Visions](/source/Temple_of_Visions) and the [Interdimensional Art](/source/Interdimensional_art) Movement.[citation needed]

The [American Visionary Art Museum](/source/American_Visionary_Art_Museum) in Baltimore, Maryland, is a museum devoted entirely to visionary art.

## References

1. [What is Visionary Art? by Alex Grey](http://alexgrey.com/media/writing/essays/what-is-visionary-art/)

1. ["Academy of Visionary Art"](https://web.archive.org/web/20140312142009/http://academyofvisionaryart.com/information/visionary-art). Archived from [the original](http://academyofvisionaryart.com/information/visionary-art) on 2014-03-12. Retrieved 2014-01-30.

1. [*Manifesto of Visionary Art* by L. Caruana](http://visionaryrevue.com/webtext/manifesto.contents.html)

1. [Robert Venosa biography](http://www.venosa.com/bio.html)

### Sources

- *Cosmic Art* Ramond & Lila Piper (Hawthorne Books) ISBN 0-8015-1774-5, 1975
- *Celestial Visitations The Art of Gilbert Williams* (Pomegranate Artbooks) ISBN 0-517-53900-4, 1979
- *Sacred Mirrors: The Visionary Art of [Alex Grey](/source/Alex_Grey)*, Carlo McCormick, Inner Traditions International, 1990
- *Raw Creation: Outsider Art and Beyond* John Maizels,ISBN 0-7148-3149-2, 1996
- *The Art of [Adolf Wolfli](/source/Adolf_Wolfli)* Elka Spoerri, Daniel Baumann and E. M. Gomez, ISBN 0-691-11498-6, 2003
- *Nothing Is True - Everything Is Permitted: The Life of [Brion Gysin](/source/Brion_Gysin)* John Geiger, (The Disinformation Company), 130. ISBN 1932857125, 2005
- *Fantastic Art* ([Taschen](/source/Taschen)) ( Schurian, Prof. Dr. Walter) ISBN 978-3-8228-2954-7 (English edition), 2005
- *True Visions* ([Erik Davis](/source/Erik_Davis) and Pablo Echaurren) (Betty Books) ISBN 88-902372-0-1, 2006
- *Metamorphosis: 50 Contemporary Surreal, Fantastic and Visionary Artists* (beinArt) ISBN 978-0-9803231-0-8, 2007

## Further reading

- 1975 - *Cosmic Art* Ramond & Lila Piper (Hawthorne Books) ISBN 0-8015-1774-5
- 1979 - *Celestial Visitations The Art of Gilbert Williams* (Pomegranate Artbooks) ISBN 0-517-53900-4
- 2005 - *Fantastic Art* (Taschen) ( Schurian, Prof. Dr. Walter) ISBN 978-3-8228-2954-7 (English edition)
- 2006 - *True Visions* ([Erik Davis](/source/Erik_Davis) and Pablo Echaurren) (Betty Books) ISBN 88-902372-0-1
- 2007 - *Metamorphosis* (beinArt) ISBN 978-0-9803231-0-8
- 2011 - "Positive Creations" (Schiffer Publications) ISBN 978-0-7643-3913-4
- 2016 - *El Canto de Abraxas* de Álvaro Robles G. (Editorial Salón Arcano) ISBN 978-987-42-2189-6

## External links

- ["Exchange: Folk, Self-taught, Amateur, and Visionary Art"](https://web.archive.org/web/20240709005716/https://exchange.umma.umich.edu/resources/23716/). *exchange.umma.umich.edu*. 2024-06-04. Archived from [the original](https://exchange.umma.umich.edu/resources/23716/) on 2024-07-09.
- ["Visionary Art Exhibition"](https://www.visionaryartexhibition.com/). Retrieved 2025-01-12. Online visionary art exhibition with a collection of visionary artists from around the world

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Visionary art](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Visionary_art) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Visionary_art?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.