Created for:
“An open art competition: Embodying Masonic Values
Sponsored by the Masonic Library & Museum of Pennsylvania
Criteria:
All artwork entries must display a visual interpretation of some aspect of Freemasonry in Pennsylvania, whether it be philospohical [sic], historical, scientific, social, fraternal, charaitable [sic], architectural, etc. Selected artwork will be exhibited in the Masonic Temple in Philadelphia. Constructed in 1873, the Masonic Temple has become one of the great “wonders” of the Masonic world. Adorned with some of the finest artifacts of Freemasonry and magnificent lodge rooms based on themes of the ancient architectural world. The Masonic Temple connects us with our past by outwardly displaying our Masonic traditions and values. Located within the Masonic Temple is the Masonic Library & Museum of Pennsylvania, which houses thousands of texts and artifacts relating to the history of the fraternity in the Commonwealth and the founding of our great nation. Maximum size for all entries is 48 inches by 60 inches.”
My response to this call-for-submission, “tracingBoardPuzzling_02a”, seeks to signify much of Freemasonry’s deep symbol systems, secrecy and mystique; the tendency to deploy its symbols often to elucidate key knowledge to initiates; whereas, at other times, to deliberately obfuscate their significance, context and meaning to the uninitiated. There are vital extant truths within reach; however, without proper guidance, one might not be able to finally subsume them, without first managing to penetrate deliberate smoke an’ mirrors obscurantism and misdirection.
With this particular artwork, I hope the viewer is drawn toward (visually/mentally) rearranging the “15-puzzle” pieces back into classical tracing board coherency, while also considering notions of freemasonic secrecy, aphorisms, and elevatory knowledge.
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Final Assembly: tracingBoardPuzzling_02a
“The most beautiful thing we can experience is the mysterious. It is the source of all true art and science. He to whom the emotion is a stranger, who can no longer pause to wonder and stand wrapped in awe, is as good as dead —his eyes are closed. The insight into the mystery of life, coupled though it be with fear, has also given rise to religion. To know what is impenetrable to us really exists, manifesting itself as the highest wisdom and the most radiant beauty, which our dull faculties can comprehend only in their most primitive forms—this knowledge, this feeling is at the center of true religiousness.”
― Albert Einstein
This piece’s final assembly comprises 169 sliding image tiles hand-constructed from laser-cut aviation-grade birch plywood. The three-levels outer platforms are papered with circles/triangles/squares; correspondence to progressive revelatory stages of enlightenment. Euclid’s geometric advancements being of core value to Freemasonry principles.
The “puzzle” central imagery references an historic tracing board; a training device of mystical symbol sets much familiar to Masonic lodge members.
Production flow:
