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Austin Osman Spare
Born 30 December 1886(1886-12-30)
Snow Hill, near Smithfield Market London
Died 15 May 1956 (aged 69)
London
Occupation artist, painter and magician

Austin Osman Spare (December 30, 1886 - May 15, 1956) was an English artist and magician. Events 1460 - Wars of the Roses: Battle of Wakefield. 1816 - The Treaty of St Year 1886 ( MDCCCLXXXVI) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common London ( ˈlʌndən is the capital and largest urban area in the United Kingdom. Events 1252 - Pope Innocent IV issues the Papal bull Ad exstirpanda, which authorizes but also limits the Year 1956 ( MCMLVI) was a Leap year starting on Sunday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. London ( ˈlʌndən is the capital and largest urban area in the United Kingdom. Employment is a Contract between two parties, one being the employer and the other being the employee. Art refers to a diverse range of Human activities creations and expressions that are appealing to the Senses or Emotions of a human individual Painting (pān'tīng in Art, is the practice of applying Color to a Surface (support base such as e Magic, sometimes known as sorcery, is a Conceptual system that asserts human ability to control the natural world (including events objects people and Events 1460 - Wars of the Roses: Battle of Wakefield. 1816 - The Treaty of St Year 1886 ( MDCCCLXXXVI) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common Events 1252 - Pope Innocent IV issues the Papal bull Ad exstirpanda, which authorizes but also limits the Year 1956 ( MCMLVI) was a Leap year starting on Sunday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. England is a Country which is part of the United Kingdom. Its inhabitants account for more than 83% of the total UK population whilst its mainland Art refers to a diverse range of Human activities creations and expressions that are appealing to the Senses or Emotions of a human individual Magic, sometimes known as sorcery, is a Conceptual system that asserts human ability to control the natural world (including events objects people and

Contents

Biography

Dressing the Wounded During a Gas Attack, one of Spare's images done while serving as a war artist.
Dressing the Wounded During a Gas Attack, one of Spare's images done while serving as a war artist.

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Spare was the son of Philip Newton Spare, a London policeman and Eliza Ann Adelaide Osman. London ( ˈlʌndən is the capital and largest urban area in the United Kingdom. A police officer (also known as a policeman or policewoman) is a warranted employee of a Police force. As a child, he showed an affinity for art, and he briefly attended evening classes at Lambeth School of Art. Lambeth School of Art was founded in 1854 by William Gregory as a night school associated with the St In 1907 Spare exhibited his drawings at the Bruton Gallery in London. Year 1907 ( MCMVII) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common year Critics likened his work to that of Aubrey Beardsley, but Spare's images were full of grotesque, sexualized human figures and magical symbols. Aubrey Vincent Beardsley ( August 21, 1872 &ndash March 16, 1898) was an influential English These elements appealed to avant-garde London intellectuals, and brought him to the attention of Aleister Crowley. Avant-garde (avɑ̃gaʁd in French) means "advance guard" or "vanguard Aleister Crowley, born Edward Alexander Crowley (ˈkroʊli (12 October 1875 – 1 December 1947 was a British Occultist Writer, mountaineer He became a Probationer of Crowley's order A.'.A.'. (Argenteum Astrum) in July 1909, but was not initiated as a member, although he contributed four small drawings to Crowley's publication The Equinox. The A∴A∴ (Latin Argenteum Astrum or Greek Άστρον Αργόν, "Astron Argon", both literally "Silver star" alternately Year 1909 ( MCMIX) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common year starting The Equinox (subtitle "The Review of Scientific Illuminism" is a series of publications in book form that serves as the official organ of the A Crowley later characterized Spare as a "Black Brother", meaning that he did not approve of the goals of Spare's magical philosophy. The terms Left-Hand Path and Right-Hand Path refer to a Dichotomy between two opposing Belief systems whose meanings have varied His magical motto was Yihoveaum. Magical mottoes are the magical Nicknames noms de plume, or Pseudonyms taken by various individuals in a number of Magical organizations [1]

His iconoclasm, distaste for the props and symbolism of ceremonial magic and his aversion to moralism as well as his innovative use of sigilization served to distinguish his personal style of magic which his associate Kenneth Grant called Zos Kia Cultus. Iconoclasm, Greek for "image-breaking" is the deliberate destruction within a culture of the culture's own religious Icons and other symbols or monuments Ceremonial magic is a broad term used to encompass a wide variety of long elaborate and complex Rituals it is named as such because the works included are characterized by Diabolical signatureA sigil ( or /ˈsɪgəl/ pl sigilia or sigils is a symbol created for a specific magical purpose Kenneth Grant (born 1924 is a British Occultist and head of the Magical order which he calls Ordo Templi Orientis but which is commonly referred to as Zos Kia Cultus is a form style or school of magic developed by Austin Osman Spare. Grant in 1972 introduced that "Spare's intense interest in more obscure aspect of sorcery" was the result of his friendship with a woman named Mrs. Paterson who "claimed descent from a line of Salem witches. Witchcraft, in various historical anthropological religious and mythological contexts is the use of certain kinds of Supernatural or magical powers "[2] He also spoke of and drew portraits of a spirit guide named Black Eagle who often appeared in the form of an Amerindian man. " Spirit guide " is a term used by the Western tradition of Spiritualist Churches Mediums, and Psychics to describe an entity that remains a disincarnate For indigenous peoples in the United States other than Hawaii and Alaska see also Native Americans in the United States. [3]

On 4 Sep 1911 he married Eily Gertrude Shaw. Events 476 - Romulus Augustus, last emperor of the Western Roman Empire, is deposed when Odoacer proclaims himself Year 1911 ( MCMXI) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common year In 1917, during World War I, Spare was conscripted into the British army, serving as a medical orderly of the Royal Army Medical Corps in London hospitals. Year 1917 ( MCMXVII) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common year World War I (abbreviated WWI; also known as the First World War, the Great War, and the War to End All The Royal Army Medical Corps ( RAMC) is a specialist Corps in the British Army which provides Medical services to all British Army He did not see active service, and was commissioned as an official War Artist in 1919. A war artist, also known as a combat artista captures the experience of War in an Artistic manner whilst based in the battlefield Year 1919 ( MCMXIX) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common He visited the battlefields of France to record the work of the Royal Army Medical Corps. This article is about the country For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic France topics. Several of his works presently hang in the Imperial War Museum. The Imperial War Museum is a Museum in London, England featuring military vehicles weapons war memorabilia an extensive library open to the public

Although regarded as an artist of considerable talent and good prospects, Spare lived a rather secluded life from the mid 1920s onwards, falling out of step with changing trends and influences in the broader art scene. The 1920s is sometimes referred to as the " Jazz Age " or the " Roaring Twenties " when speaking about the United States and Canada He sold his unique work for low prices at irregular exhibitions held in his home studio and in South London pubs. South London is the southern part of London, England. The area it covers is defined differently for a range of purposes Spare expressed contempt at the idea of selling his works at higher prices - an option he could easily have had available to him. He worked very quickly and often finished drawings in minutes. [4]

Among his books, Spare adopts the name Aàos when referring to himself.

Philosophy

Kiaism ideas
Kiaism ideas

Regarding Spare's magical system, Kiaism, his terminology is unique and could not be traced back in other traditions. The introduction of original concepts like "Kia", "Ikkah", "Sikah" appear for the first time in Spare's first book Earth Inferno and remain conceptually consistent until The Focus of Life. Kia is the supreme mystical concept in the early philosophical writings of English Austin Osman Spare. Earth Inferno is the first book by the English artist and magician Austin Osman Spare. The Focus of Life The Mutterings of AOS is a comprehensive treatise written and illustrated by Austin Osman Spare on key occult concepts he introduced in his previous writings

Beside the important influence of Kiaism on occultism in general, it represents no specific way for personal development and/or any sets of instructions but requires the person to devise his personal system of philosophy or magic. The word occult comes from the Latin word occultus (clandestine hidden secret referring to "knowledge of the hidden"

The supreme state in Kiaism, Kia, is sketched: "The absolute freedom which being free is mighty enough to be "reality" and free at any time: therefore is not potential or manifest (except as it's instant possibility) by ideas of freedom or "means," but by the Ego being free to receive it, by being free of ideas about it and by not believing. Kia is the supreme mystical concept in the early philosophical writings of English Austin Osman Spare. "[5]

However, Spare continually insists in various places that Kia is undefinable and any definition makes it more obscure.

Kiaism regards Belief and Desire as the great duality. In this system, Ego is a part of Self belonging to one Being while Self encircles the whole Being. Each "human" Being wills the desire. This desire imagines a new belief and belief by means of conceptualizing new concepts forms the Ego. Spare names these conceptions, "the ramifications of belief" which form different personalities for corresponding Ego. But the mentioned will is a partial one. The Will (emphasized by capitalizing) lies in the realm of Self - pertaining to Kia. [6]

On Self-Love

Self-Love is a mental state, mood or condition caused by the emotion of laughter becoming the principle that allows the Ego appreciation or universal association in permitting inclusion before conception. [7] So it is no narcissistic self-reflection of the glamours of the ego, rather, it is the void at the core of an identity which is freely able to move into any desired set of social relations, without becoming trapped or identified entirely within them. As the core of the sense of self is Self-love, rather than any label which encapsulates any particular set of behavior, beliefs and life-patterns, one attains a state of great freedom of movement and expression, without the need for self-definition. [8]

Sacred Alphabet

A sample of Sacred Alphabet by Austin Osman Spare
A sample of Sacred Alphabet by Austin Osman Spare

Sacred Alphabet or Alphabet of Desire are simplified forms of sigils that could be composed for expressing a desire. Diabolical signatureA sigil ( or /ˈsɪgəl/ pl sigilia or sigils is a symbol created for a specific magical purpose The philosophical background to "Alphabet of Desire" is extensively explained in The Book of Pleasure. The Book of Pleasure (Self-Love Psychology of Ecstasy is a book written by Austin Osman Spare during 1909-1913

The first Sigillic formula to appear in Spare's published works can be seen in his second volume A Book of Satyrs. [9]

He designed and used a pack of cards which he called the Arena of Anon, each card bearing a magical emblem which was a variation of one of the letters of the Alphabet of Desire. [10]

Influence on chaos magic

Spare's especial method of sigil magic has played an important role in the development of chaos magic. Chaos magic is a form of magic which was first formulated in West Yorkshire, England, in the 1970s However, due to the complex nature of his philosophy it is probable that its influence continues in more deeper aspects. As Peter J. Carroll recites:

I do not collect books, anything worth reading I pass to friends, the rest, I destroy. Peter James Carroll (born January 8 1953, Patching, England) is a modern Occultist author co-founder of the Illuminates The only exception being Austin Spare; I keep the collected works as I feel I have yet to fully understand them. [11]

Bibliography

Privately printed by Spare during his life time
Books illustrated by Spare
Magazines edited by Spare

The majority of the books listed above are available as modern reprints. For a more complete listing see Clive Harper's Revised Notes Towards A Bibliography of Austin Osman Spare.

Significant titles published since Spare's death include Poems and Masks, A Book of Automatic Drawings, The Collected Works of Austin Osman Spare, Axiomata & The Witches' Sabbath, From The Inferno To Zos (3 Vol. Set), The Book of Ugly Ecstasy, and Zos Speaks.

Quotation

“ "At no time in my life have I been a person to hold myself polluted by the touch, habits or approach of any creature other than those who were human shape. "
- Austin Osman Spare, c. 1945		 ”

References

  1. ^ Magical Diaries of Aleister Crowley, page 237
  2. ^ Grant, Kenneth, Magical Revival, pp 180-181
  3. ^ Grant, Kenneth, Outer Gateways, pp 180-181
  4. ^ Pinkerton, Mark (March 2001). March 2001: January - February - March - April - May - June - July - August - September "From Atavism to Zos: Spare's Philopsophy and Magic". Fortean Times (144). Fortean Times - "The World of Strange Phenomena" - is a British monthly Magazine devoted to the anomalous phenomena popularised  
  5. ^ Austin Osman Spare, The Book of Pleasure
  6. ^ Sepand, Collected Writings of Austin Osman Spare - Persian Translation, Translator's Forward, p 4
  7. ^ Spare, Austin Osman, The Book of Pleasure
  8. ^ Hine, Phil, Condensed Chaos, New Falcon, 1995, pp 127-128, ISBN 1-56184-117-X
  9. ^ Semple, W. Gavin, ZOS-KIA, 1995, Fulgur Limited
  10. ^ Grant, Kenneth; Magical Revival, Austin Osman Spare and the Zos Kia Cultus
  11. ^ Peter J. Carroll Interview, Abrasax Magazine, Vol. 5, No. 2.

External links

Joseph Nechvatal (born 1951 is a post- Conceptual art Digital artist and art theoretician who creates computer-assisted paintings and Computer
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