Kindred Spirits

Kindred Spirits presents drawings by four artists whose works possess a numinous energy and compelling beauty. The irrepressible urge to draw, accompanied by experiences of a spiritual or psychic nature, forms a harmonious bond between the artists. Each has a deep understanding of the other’s ups and downs encountered in the development of this unusual artistic process. Some of this development has taken years, like o2o, whose name symbolises eternal learning or wisdom. He discovered his clairvoyant and clairaudient abilities, along with the skill to create, at a young age. For others, like Nishikawa, this skill came later through the act of doodling. 

Over time these kindred spirits have all found ways of working that are favourable to their act of mark making. For the majority, music is often instrumental to the creative process, as is a quiet space without distraction. Ahmadi uses a candle to alter the light around him, whilst Neate occasionally looks at the flickering and muted television screen showing old British movies that remind him of the past. The mood is an important aspect for these artists. Neate’s pen, for example, will not flow if he is distracted, causing the lines to become heavier. He also continues his search for the perfect chair in which to work, whilst Ahmadi found his treasured seat abandoned in a parking lot.  

Drawing is an essential part of the lives of these four artists who begin by establishing a meditative or trancelike concentration that o2o describes as being “out of myself.” Here, real time fades out of focus as they become absorbed in their creativity, and without a preconceived idea of the outcome, their pens glide effortlessly and automatically across the paper. It is as if a veil is briefly lifted or a portal has opened to another level of time and space, a parallel dimension within us or around us. Subconscious thoughts, memories, souls and spirits draw closer and flow through the conscious mind of the artists with a mysterious force that often feels to them like they are being guided in some way by an unknown entity. It is as if they have connected to a higher force or dipped into a deep universal well of consciousness that is beyond the reach of most people. Through the humble pen or pencil, they are able to render the invisible as a mesmerising reality and capture on paper these ethereal images and fleeting thoughts in an art form that is more than mere creative skill and imagination. Their drawings depict a connection, harness and release of an energy in the form of an image that is succinctly described by Neate as “part of an eternal memory of which the act of drawing unlocks so that it can appear in the world.” 

Common characteristics are evident among the artworks in this exhibition. They are predominantly monochrome, which Nishikawa describes as “conducive to maintaining a rhythmic flow.” Neate compares the diaphanous gossamers of fine lines surrounding mysterious faces to residual energy from people before us, “like souls sewn in the mesh of time.” Other examples have monolithic shapes or primordial creatures, occasionally embedded with geometric symbols and text. In the case of o2o the words are from languages we recognise, whereas in Nishikawa’s work it is predominantly an unidentifiable script. With Neate and Nishikawa a further layer of otherworldliness is formed from the act of turning the paper or board while working, producing an ambiguity to its orientation. All of these drawings have an ethereal quality that is like a glimpse from the corner of your eye that is just out of reach of normal vision. 

The finished drawings are often a surprise to the artists. They feel like they are seeing their work for the first time and find themselves attempting to interpret its meaning. It is at this stage that o2o chooses to make conscious changes, whilst Ahmadi admits that he sometimes wants to do more, but resists the temptation saying “I know that I am not supposed to touch it as the work is already speaking and alive.”  He describes his work as holographic, an illusion of a three dimensional space where every line is a tangible presence of experience reflected back. He expresses so beautifully the healing element that these drawings can offer when he says “I can talk, walk, climb, smile, love and kiss all the sadness goodbye with them.” For each of these kindred spirits, drawing has the ability to give them a sense of wellbeing, balance and contentment. 

There is a collective power in this exhibition formed by bringing together such like-minded artists. Furthermore they are not alone; their artworks share an uncanny resemblance to thousands produced by other kindred spirits, including Madame Bouttier, Fernand Desmoulin, Laure Pigeon, Alice Pery and Madge Gill. This is an indication that the artists in this show are a small but significant part of a continuum which is growing into a hitherto overlooked genre of art worthy of more attention. 

It is difficult to ignore these artists’ numinosity and the marvelous qualities of their work. We may find it difficult to understand aspects of their work and often the artists themselves find this difficult too, but they never fail to evoke fear or fascination in us. They allow us to confront the invisible and to think about our connection to it. They offer a quiet moment of stillness in the midst of our often chaotic lives. They have the ability to awaken in us, with a jolt of clarity that pierces our usually dormant senses, a perception that lies outside of our limited views of reality. These drawings symbolise a pathway to a heightened state of consciousness, a super consciousness where we may see the world differently. The works have a palpable presence, an animistic quality and an energetic light which vibrates, speaks and resonates with anyone who wants to tune in. They have the potential to bring out emotions in us which enable us to connect on a deeper level with ourselves, each other, the past and the future. Ahmadi, Neate, Nishikawa and o2o are inspirational artists and kindred spirits who inspire us to unleash our curious minds. 

Vivienne Roberts, Curator and Archivist at College of Psychic Studies, London

NOTE: A simplified version of this text that was used for the BSL interpretation can be found HERE.