Amorism:  An Art Movement of Agape

Artists Statement

 

2022 marks the year of the birth of Amorism, the next art movement of the 21st century.  My research indicates that there has been no defined art movement which has characterised the period from 2001 onwards.  Indeed contemporary art in this century is characterised by the absence of any unifying theme or principle relying on ideas of cultural identity, community, etc. On this basis I have been inspired to create an art movement which will characterise a new era in the history of art, and my legacy to the fine art world.

 

Given the backdrop of the world Covid-19 pandemic which has dominated our lives since 2019, and the recent Russian invasion of Ukraine and war in Syria which has caused worldwide division, I felt called to create a manifesto/movement that would bring forth the energy of love, Agape (the most powerful force of love in nature and humankind) across our world, societies, and systems.

 

Reflecting on the history of art and researching previous art movements (Dada/Dadaism, Symbolism, Surrealism, Renaissance, and Romanticism) influenced me to define Amorism and to visually communicate Agape love. The Amorism art movement as I define it is characterised by a series of symbols: the Rose (Love, romance, the life and death cycle), peonies (rebirth, healing, joy, new beginnings), and the clam shell, the pearl within the shell being a featured symbol of Agape love and the shell an overarching symbol of the need for Agape love to be nurtured and protected.

 

The Amorism manifesto was created as a call to action to creative artists to embrace the concept of Amorism as an art movement, and to inspire them to create and promote art based on Agape love, its characteristic features, and symbols.

 

The underlying characteristic of Amorism is that it challenges the widely held belief that the world and society has never been and is no longer a place of peace, tranquillity, tolerance, compassion, and love.  Given humanity’s compacity to develop technological advances e.g. air travel, computers, phones, virtual reality, etc and to push the limitations of what can be invented to impact our world so positively, it must surely not be beyond the ability of man to conceive of a spiritual art movement which embraces Agape love.

 

Art has the compacity to inspire and be transformative, and Agape love as conveyed in art could sweep across society to inspire organisations and individuals to reach a higher state of being where compassion and tolerance permeate all aspects of our lives. 

 

In this final project, I have focussed on trying to portray a balance between the reality and need for technology with the ongoing need to promote love across humanity. Agape Love does not deny technological advances, and both can complement each other. If we value technology over Agape love, then we run the risk that humanity will self-destruct. We have seen strong signs of this surfacing in countries which have been dominated by conflict, in Afghanistan, Syria, and latterly Ukraine. We have also witnessed how medical technology like the recent Covid vaccination program has been used to create division and controversy in the worldwide community.  So in our one lifetime, instead of being a casual bystander, let us be the change we want to experience going forward and embrace Agape love.