Norbert
Strippel

~
I'm a Northern Hessian artist who has concerned himself with
computer art for the last 15 years. The central element of my
artwork is the illustration of mathematical algorithms, which
create a field of tension between chaos, order and aesthetics.
The essential trait is the artistic processing, with airbrush-techniques,
of structures created on the computer. In this way a unique colouring
and individual design becomes possible.
These original artworks and the information below are from
my project about Goethean science called "The Power of Colour".
The complete original information is of course in German, but
I'll give you give some gist here about the exhibition, and am
appending a brief English reading-list below the images.
The Project is my interpretation of the Goethean science,
based on the approach of Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, author of
FAUST, who is most generally known for his poetry and literature
around the world. In fact, Goethe himself saw his principle contributions
to culture as being in the area of science. He authored many
works on science, notably The Metamorphosis of Plants and his
Theory of Color. Goethe stressed that one had to start with the
actual phenomenon, and that it is impossible to divorce oneself
from participation in nature, contrary to the method of contemporary
science.
As a generalization, it could be said that he was one of the
first holistic thinkers, in the modern sense, to emerge in western
culture, and his contributions are variously acknowledged. Using
his morphological technique, he proved that the intermaxillary
bone, known to exist in animals, could also be found in the human
skull. At the time, the supposed lack of this bone was considered
to be a significant differentiator between man and animals: this
at the time just prior to the development of evolutionary thinking
along the lines of Darwin. He opposed with might and main the
concept of Newton's own theory of color (specifically, the idea
of white light being "comprised" of the different wavelengths
of colored light), and although his approach is discredited in
the context of Newtonian and Quantum physics, the approach and
understanding his Theory provides remains of ongoing interest
to both artists and some among the more thoughtful scientists.
It begins with the classic Aristotlean notion of "cool"
and "warm" colors (blues and reds); blues represent
a lightening of black, reds a darkening of white.
His conception is expressed poetically in the words "colors
are the deeds and sufferings of light." His idea of the
"Urpflanze" or primal plant was the central theme of
his Metamorphosis of Plants; he was a great opponent of the mere
categorization of species after the manner of Linneaus, without
understanding how the various forms and species developed as
metamorphoses of each other. Simplistically stated, he saw all
plant forms as transformations of the leaf. His method led him
to what is sometimes rendered "the exact percipient fantasy",
in other words, a direct perception of a supersensible reality
from which a living thing derives its form.
Many of the approaches embodied in Goethe's scientific world-view
are later found metamorphosed, or in spiritual science.
Enjoy it.
~~~~~~~
A Short English Language Reading List in Goethean Science:
- Scientific Studies
Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
translation by Douglas Miller
1988 Suhrkamp Publishers New York
The definitive translation of the bulk of Goethe's scientific
works, including Farbenlehre (Theory of Color), Metamorphosis
of Plants, Fortunate Encounter, The Experiment as Mediator between
Object and Subject, and much much more.
- Man or Matter
Ernst Lehrs
Third Edition 1985 Rudolf Steiner Press London
Lehrs surveys the development of the contemporary consesus worldview
of science and contrasts what he describes as the "onlooker
consciousness" with the approach of Goethe, which stresses
insight into how man can participate in the phenomenon. Lehrs
develops, in the manner of Goethe, concepts of Levity, polar-Euclidean
space, physical substances as part of "nature's alphabet,"
the "optics of the doer" and much more. A foundation
work.
- Goethean Science: A Reappraisal
Amrine, Zucker, Wheeler, editors
1987 D. Reidel Publishing Company, Dordrect
A collection of academic papers in the history and philosophy
of science. Includes essays by Douglas Miller, Art Zajonc, others.
- Catching the Light
Arthur Zajonc
1993 Bantam Books New York
A popular approach that focuses on the parallel development of
man's understanding of light and the development of consciousness.
More up-to-date than Lehrs in terms of the latest in contemporary
physics, although not quite the literary work that Lehrs' is.
- The Wholeness of Nature
Henri Bortoft
1996 Lindisfarne Press Hudson, New York
A Physicist who trained with David Bohm sees Goethe's approach-his
way of seeing-as the basis for an experience of the wholeness
of nature. Perhaps the best introduction for those steeped in
contemporary science.
- Rudolf Steiner's Science Courses
As part of his training of the first teachers of the Waldorf
Schools, Rudolf Steiner gave a series of the three lecture cycles
specifically on the sciences. They are of particular interest
in that they show how his spiritual science, rooted in the Goethean
approach, feeds back again into the study of Natural Science.
- The Light Course
(First Science Course)
Rudolf Steiner
1977 Goethean Science Foundation, Clent, England
Rudolf Steiner, who edited the first comprehensive edition of
Goethe's Scientific papers at the Goethe Archives in Weimar,
gave three lecture cycles on scientific topics to a class of
teachers at the first Waldorf School in Stuttgart. The 'Light
Course' includes several optical experiments intended to demonstrate
the Goethean understanding of color.
- The Warmth Course
(Second Science Course)
Rudolf Steiner
1988 Mercury Press Spring Valley, New York
In this cycle Steiner develops his concept of heat as an entity
distinct from simply a 'mode of motion' but rather the transition
between the material and the etheric.
- The Relationship of the Diverse Branches of Natural Science
to Astronomy:
(Third Science Course)
Rudolf Steiner
Translator Unknown
Unpublished except as study notes, now partially available on-line
he re. This cycle explores the deep
inter-relationships between the living cell, embryonic development,
and the cosmos.
Some Exhibitions & Events of Norbert Strippel:
- 1983 Pegasus, Bad Wildungen/Odershausen
- 1986 Member of "Die Art-Genossen"
- 1988 Symposium Waldecker Künstler
- 1988 Pilgermission, Gießen
- 1989 Hessentag, Frankenberg
- 1991 Galerie Rath, Köln
- 1991 "Kunst & Technik", MLP Marburg
- 1992 Kunstkabinett, Baden-Baden
- 1992 Stadthalle Leonberg
- 1993 Kurmuseum Bad Wildungen
- 1997 Sonderaustellung "KUR PUR" Bad Wildungen/Reinhardshausen
- 1998 "shining radar" Kreissparkasse Waldeck-Frankenberg
- 1999 "Roots", Bahnhof Gemünden
- 1999 Galerie Kass, Innsbruck
~
Norbert Strippel
Zur Aulisburg 1
35114 Haina/Löhlbach
Germany
e-mail: Info@art-by-strippel.de
wwweb: http://www.Art-by-strippel.de
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