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          Laurence Caruana is a Maltese artist, author and lecturer presently living in France.

          He is best-known for his contribution to the Visionary Art movement, having created a significant body of works in the Classical style while authoring articles and books (even its first manifesto) and founding The Vienna Academy of Visionary Art. 

           His highly-detailed paintings explore the interplay of myths, symbols & styles from different cultural traditions ~ always seeking the greater unity at their source. 

EMAIL:

visionnaire@lcaruana.com

          For years, the artist led an itinerant existence, living variously in Toronto, Malta, Vienna, Munich, Monaco and Paris. His travels also led him through Asia, Europe and Central America, backpacking to broaden his sacred horizons and enrich his passion for religious iconographies.

          L. Caruana has dedicated much of his life to the pursuit of ‘the ancient Image Language’ - the idea that images may be meaningfully arranged in dreams, visions and art to bear their own unique message. This visual language possesses its own unique logic (or ‘iconologic’) that allows us to think through mythic and symbolic images in such a way that they reveal the fundamental relationship between life and the Sacred. This is most-clearly stated in his book Enter Through the Image where he concludes that “Life is a gradual unfolding of the Sacred.”

          Born in Toronto Canada of Maltese descent, L. Caruana is a graduate of The University of Toronto (B.A. Hons. Philosophy) and also studied classical techniques of painting in the traditional manner of master and apprentice, having assisted Prof. Ernst Fuchs in his studios in Monaco and Castillon.

          After emigrating to Europe in 1993, he met the French artist/dancer Florence Cuepaliztli Ménard in Munich. Together, the couple moved to the Bastille quarter of Paris, where they lived for twelve years before buying a farmhouse in the Burgundy region of France. During this time, Caruana began writing and editing The Visionary Revue, an online journal that chronicled the movement, while also creating The Summer Seminar at Torri Superiore Italy, where the Mischtechnik is transmitted each summer to a new generation of Visionary artists. 

          In 2012, the couple co-founded The Vienna Academy of Visionary Art, which eventually expanded across three floors into a studio, exhibition hall and cultural space. After seven years, they returned to France to pursue a new project, a centre for cultural activities called The Apocryphon Chapel, which will depict the over-arching myth of Gnostic Christianity in twelve large-scale paintings.

          L. Caruana has exhibited his works internationally, from national museums in Paris to Transformational festivals. When he’s not secluded in his Burgundy studio, he often travels abroad to promote Visionary Art through his many lectures, talks and workshops.

THE VISIONARY ART OF L. CARUANA 

~ Life as a Gradual Unfolding of the Sacred ~

 

A 35-minute video on my life & work,

told in the first person.

CHRONOLOGY

 

– Born February 16, 1962 in Toronto Canada, of Maltese descent

 

HUMBER VALLEY – TORONTO
– Grew up next to Lambton forest, James gardens, and the Humber river. Frequent walks in the forest and frequent visits to island homeland of Malta in the Mediterranean
– Showed a marked fascination with drawing and dreams as a child.

 

1976 – 1981 – HIGH SCHOOL – TORONTO
– First formal studies in painting, sculpture, and art history under Theodore Samotowka
– Discovered Surrealism, and the works of Salvador Dali
– First works inspired by Surrealism; drawings became dream-like and enigmatic.

 

1981 – 1985 – UNIVERSITY OF TORONTO
– Studied Ancient Greek and German Philosophy. Read Pre-Socratics, Nietzsche, Freud, Heidegger and Jung.
– Graduated Bachelor of Arts (Hons)
– Began recording dreams
– Wrote Scream of Consciousness             illustrated with sculptures expressing mythic and archetypal themes.

 

1986 – MAGICUS THEATRE – TORONTO
– Wrote, directed, and acted in plays (Reznikoff, Buried Mirrors) while making films (Psychologica, What Dwells in Man, Eternal Return). All works explored the themes of madness, dreams and the unconsciousness.

 

1987 – WESTERN EUROPE
– Extensive travels, studying Gothic and Northern Renaissance art (Van Eyck, Van der Weyden, Bosch) as well as Italian Renaissance (Da Vinci, Michelangelo). Travel journal: European Pilgrimage.

 

1988 – 1989 – TORONTO
– Upon return, abandoned the collaborative arts of theatre and film to concentrate on painting and writing in solitude
– Began a series of Gothic paintings, such as The Dance of Death

– Published Fragments, a collection of essays, poems and plays
– Began wandering through Europe.

 

1990 – 1991 – VIENNA (Neubau Viertel)
– Studied painting at the Akademie der Bildende Künste
– Discovered Fantastic Realism and the works of Ernst Fuchs
– Frequently sketched ancient Greek, Egyptian and Aztec works in museums, while studying mythology in the writings of Campbell, Eliade, Zimmer and Frye
– Developed Old Masters approach to painting while mixing myths and symbols from different cultures.

 

1991 – EASTERN EUROPE
– Extensive travels, visiting monasteries and studying Byzantine art and iconography. Travel journal: Voyage to Byzantium.

 

1992 – 1993 – MALTA (Mellieha)
– Began Meditations of a Heretic, a novel set in Malta, based on its cultural myths
– Began paintings inspired by visionary dreams and expanded through sacred art and myth.

 

1993 – 1996 – MUNICH (Alt Schwabing, Haidhausen)
– First extensive experiments with entheogens
– Met Florence Ménard
– Began Enter Through the Image, a lengthy study of the logic underlying arrangements of images in myth, art, and dreams
– Further pursuit of paintings based on ‘the interplay of art, myth and dreams’.

 

1996 – 2000 – PARIS (Montmartre, Quartier Latin, Bastille)
– Marriage to Florence Ménard
– Continued symbolic experiments in painting
– Bought and renovated studio in the Bastille quarter
– Worked with Ernst Fuchs on murals in the Apocalypse Chapel in Klagenfurt, Austria

 

2000 – 2001 – MONACO (Castillon)
– Apprenticed under the master Visionary artist Ernst Fuchs for one year, assisting on his larger paintings in his studio on the Quai des Artistes in Monaco and his home Castel Caramel in Castillon
– Wrote A First Draft of A Manifesto of Visionary Art
– Exhibitions: l’Art Imaginaire (Monaco)

 

2001 – 2002 – PARIS (Bastille)
– Launched The Visionary Revue: The Electronic Journal of Visionary Art
– Published A First Draft of A Manifesto of Visionary Art on-line and in a limited edition of 200 signed and numbered copies
– Exhibitions: Art of the Imagination (London), Parfums de Femmes (Paris)

 

2003 – N. AFRICA, ASIA
– Travelled through Egypt, India, Nepal and Tibet for three months, studying Egyptian, Hindu and Buddhist art Travel journal: A Visionary Journey to the East

 

2003 – 2006 – PARIS (Bastille)
– Published the second and third issues of The Visionary Revue, the Johfra and Kalmakoff issues
– Launched the French version of the Manifesto - Le manifeste de l'art visionnaire
– Wrote: The Hidden Passion: A Novel of the Gnostic Christ, Based on the Nag Hammadi Texts
– Exhibitions: Chiméria (Sedane), Dalis Erben Malen Europa (Wolnzach, Munich), La Mort Transfigurée (Paris)

 

2006 – CENTRAL AMERICA

– Travelled through Mexico, Guatemala and Honduras for two months, studying Mayan and Aztec art. Travel journal: Mayan Vision Quest

 

2007 – 2010 – PARIS (Bastille)
– Publication of The Hidden Passion: A Novel of the Gnostic Christ Based on the Nag Hammadi Texts
– Launched GnosticQ.com: A Source for Gnostic Studies
– Launched the 4th issue of The Visionary Revue on Entheogens
– Entheologue              with Alex Grey at The Chapel of Sacred Mirrors in the Chelsea district of New York
– Held first of many Visions in the Mischtechnik painting seminars in Torri Superiore Italy in 2008
– Publication of Enter Through the Image: The Ancient Image Language of Myth, Art & Dreams
– Exhibitions: Guest of Honour at Chiméria – Festival International des Arts Visionnaires (Sedan, France), plus: Metageum (Malta)              Liminal Village Boom Festival  (Portugal), 

Interdimensional Art Tour (San Francisco, Montreal, Seattle, Eugene), The Fountain Oracle Gathering (Washington)
– Conferences & panel discussions: Metageum (Malta), Colloque sur les  Hallucinations (Paris), 

Liminal Village Boom Festival (Portugal), Chiméria Festival (Sedan, France)

 

2010 – 2012 – BURGUNDY (Nièvre)
– After the birth of our son, bought a farmhouse south of Paris, in the Burgundy region of France
– Moved to the farmhouse while maintaining an apartment in Paris. Began pursuing Permaculture
– Publication of The First Manifesto of Visionary Art in a new open edition
– Solo Exhibition La Pouvoir des Mythes at Galerie de l’Art Visionnaire de Paris including Live Painting & Chants, later filmed by IF tv
– Solo Exhibition at l’Espace Beauvais, St. Saulge, France
– Organized group exhibition EnQuête du Sacré at Galerie de l’Art Visionnaire de Paris and at Chiméria - Festival International des Arts Visionnaires in Sedan, France
– Painting workshop Express Your Energy in Paint with 300 participants at The Boom Festival, Portugal
– Painting workshops Enter Through the Image at The Omega Institute, Rheinbeck N.Y. (Sept 2012 and May 2013)
– Art Spirit Now – Exhibition and presentations, Boulder Colorado, May 2013
– CoSM Workshop Visualizing Shape into Form with Maura Holden, plus Visionary Salon with Alex & Allyson Grey (Chapel of Sacred Mirrors, Wappinger NY - June 2013)
– Two works included in the Dreams & Divinities book and exhibition (Toledo Spain)
– On-going Visions in the Mischtechnik painting seminars, every summer in Torri Superiore Italy

 

2013 – 2015 – VIENNA (Josefstadt)
– Moved to Vienna
– Co-founded The Vienna Academy of Visionary Art in the Palais Palffy across from the Hofburg Palace. Served in the capacity of Director and Principle Lecturer
– Release of the Manifesto in Portuguese translation: O Preimero Manifesto da Arte Visionaria
– Organized series of events at The O.Z.O.R.A Festival Hungary (Aug 2014) including workshops, exhibitions, lectures and the live painting of a collective Healing Mandala (White Tara) which was ritually activated

 

2016 – 2020 – VIENNA (Josefstadt)
– Moved The Vienna Academy of Visionary Art from The Palais Palffy to the Otto Wagner Building at Döblergasse 2 - 1070 Vienna. Continued to serve in the capacity of Director and Principle Lecturer
– Expansion of the Academy across three floors - Opening of The Cultural Space, including The Gallery, The Temple and The VAVA Werkstätte
– Began working in a new studio ~ Atelier L. Caruana ~ on Strozzigasse 41 in the Josefstadt district of Vienna
– Publication of Sacred Codes: The Forgotten Principles of Painting, Revived by Visionary Art – Volume I – The Drawing Stage including a Book Launch at The VAVA Cultural Space

- Ad Sacrum: Toward the Sacred - A Retrospective Exhibition at The Gallery of The VAVA Cultural Space
– Publication of Moreau’s Labyrinth: A Visual Guide Through Jupiter & Semele – It’s Narrative, Composition & Philosophy
– Taught The Alchemy of Paint during the 2019 Winter Trimester at The Vienna Academy of Visionary Art. Seven lectures were recorded as The Alchemy, Visions & Art Series.

– Closure of The Vienna Academy of Visionary Art due to the Global Pandemic

 

2021 – Present – BURGUNDY (Nièvre)
– Return to farmhouse in Burgundy
– Launched The Online Fundraiser Workshop Series to help cover closing costs of the Academy

– Offered online courses such as Free-Hand Sacred Geometry and Watcher at the Gate together with Florence Ménard
– Worked on the first large-scale painting for The Apocryphon Chapel ~ The Upper Aeons
– Completed the first volume of an autobiography: Reflections in the Mirrored Sphere - The Unlikely Yet Epic Life of Alphonse Pinselstrich 

- Solo exhibition in Vienna Avaloka Gathering at Sargfabrik Vienna

- Exhibition in National Museum in Paris - Voyages chamaniques, arts visionnaires d'Amazonie at Musée Quai Branly Paris

 

EXHIBITIONS

 

  • Voyages chamaniques, arts visionnaires d'Amazonie - Musée Quai Branly Paris – 14 November 2023 - 26 May 2024

  • Avaloka Gathering – Sargfabrik Vienna, October 2023

  • Cosmic Convergence Festival – Haag, Austria, June 2023 

  • Visionarium Festival - Barcelona Spain, May 2019

  • Solo Exhibition L. Caruana – Ad Sacrum: Toward the Sacred – The Gallery of The Vienna of Visionary Art Cultural Space – Vienna, April 2018

  • Transmissions: A Tribute Exhibition Dedicated to Ernst Fuchs – Galerie 10 – Vienna,  May 12 – 30, 2016

  • Visionary Art Museum – Boom Festival, Idhana-a-Nova, Portugal, August 2014

  • Mirabel Tower – O.Z.O.R.A Festival, Hungary, August 2014

  • Inner Worlds – Graduate Exhibition, Vienna Academy of Visionary Art, June 2014

  • Dreams & Divinities – Toledo, Spain – May 2013

  • Art Spirit Now – Boulder Colorado, May 2013

  • EnQuête du Sacré – Chiméria – Festival International des Arts Visionnaires – Sedan, France, October 2012

  • EnQuête du Sacré – Galerie de l’Art Visionnaire de Paris, September 2012

  • Third Eye Gallery – Boom Festival – Idhana-a-Nova, Portugal, August 2012

  • Solo Exhibition – La Pouvoir des Mythes including Live Painting & Chants – Galerie de l’Art Visionnaire de Paris – Paris, June 2012

  • Solo Exhibition – La Pouvoir des Mythes – Espace Beauvais, St. Saulge, France, January 2012

  • The Fountain Oracle Gathering – Dragons Sphere park, Washington, August 2009

  • The Interdimensional Art Tour (San Francisco, Montreal, Seattle, Eugene, May 2009)

  • Guest of Honour at Chiméria – Festival International des Arts Visionnaires – Sedan, France, March 2009

  • Boom Festival – Idhana-a-Nova, Portugal, August 2008

  • Metageum Conference – Malta, November 2007

  • Chiméria - Festival International des Arts Visionnaires – Sedan, France, October 2006

  • Dalis Erben Malen Europa – Wolnzach, Germany, October 2005

  • Chiméria - Festival International des Arts Visionnaires – Sedan, France, October 2004

  • La Parfume des Femmes – Paris, France, May, 2002

  • Art of the Imagination – London, England, February 2002

  • l’Art Imaginaire – Monaco, September 2000

SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTS

 

  • Sources of Inspiration for My Art - Art, Psyche and the Creative Imagination Programme at The Limerick School of Art and Design (Technological University of the Shannon) November 26, 2022

  • Alchemy, Visions & Art – A Seven Part Lecture Series, presented at The Vienna Academy of Visionary Art and recorded during the 2019 Winter Trimester on The Alchemy of Paint – January - March 2019

  • Visionary Art – Panel discussion with Martina Hoffmann and Pascal Ferry –Visionarium Festival - Barcelona Spain, May 2019

  • Sacramental Culture & Visionary Art – Presentation followed by Panel discussion with Alex Grey, Allyson Grey, Mark Lee and Daniel Kage at Art, Spirit Now Vienna hosted by The Vienna Academy of Visionary Art, February 23, 2016

  • Visionary Art & A Vision of Art: Possible Paths for Art in the 20th Century – Opening Speech at the SGEM Conference, Hofburg Palace, Vienna, April 2016

  • Sacred Codes – A Series of 11 Lectures presented at at The Vienna Academy of Visionary Art and recorded Sept 2014 - June 2015

  • The Vision Journey East and West – Presentation, Chambok House, O.Z.O.R.A Festival, Hungary, August 2014

  • What is Visionary Art? – Presentation at the Chambok House, O.Z.O.R.A Festival, Hungary, August 2014

  • Introducing The Vienna Academy of Visionary Art - Presentation at Art Spirit Now, Boulder Colorado, May 23, 2013

  • L’influence de l’ayahuasca dans la création artistique – Presentation followed by discussion with Jan Kounen and Tom Verdier at EHESS - Ecole des Hautes Etudes en Sciences Sociales, Paris, February 23, 2012

  • The Visionary Ideal: Life as Art-making and Spirit-quest – Presentation and Discussion with Alex & Allyson Grey at CoSM: The Chapel of Sacred Mirrors, Wappinger NY, October 6, 2012

  • Du Genèse à l’Apocalypse : Visions du Cosmos – Presentation on Mayan Cosmology at Chiméria: Festival International des Arts Visionnaires, Sedan, France,   – October 2012

  • Enjeux pratiques des états modifiés de conscience – Panel discussion – L. Caruana, Luis Eduardo Luna, Manuel Villaescusa & Enrique del Bosque moderated by Juan Gonzalez, Colloque sur les Hallucinations dans la Philosophie et les Sciences Cognitives, Paris, March 2009

  • Entretiens sur l’expérience visionnaire – Panel discussion – L. Caruana, Jan Kounen & Romuald Leterrier, Chiméria: Festival International des Arts Visionnaires, Sedan, France, March 2009 - Filmed and broadcast online by Baglis.tv France

  • L’art visionnaire et la quête personnelle du Sacré – Presentation, Chiméria: Festival International des Arts Visionnaires, Sedan, France, March 2009

  • L’art visionnaire, héritier des traditions sacrées – Presentation, Chiméria: Festival International des Arts Visionnaires, Sedan, France, March 2009 – Filmed & broadcast online by Baglis.tv France

  • Visionary Art Culture Creators Panel – Panel discussion – L. Caruana, Luke Brown, Carey Thompson, Andrew Jones, Zariat & Leo Plaw moderated by Delvin Solkinson, Liminal Village, Boom Festival, Idhana-a-Nova, Portugal, August 2008

  • Practical Uses of Altered States of Consciousness – Panel discussion, Colloque sur les Hallucinations dans la Philosophie et les Sciences Cognitives, Paris, March 2008

  • Les entheogènes et l’art visionnaire – Presentation, Colloque sur les Hallucinations dans la Philosophie et les Sciences Cognitives, Paris, March 2008)

  • Entheogens in Megalithic culture – Panel discussion – L. Caruana, Erik Davis & Gyrus, Metageum Conference, Malta, Nov. 2007

  • Approaching Megalithic Culture Through the Ancient Image Language – Presentation, Metageum Conference, Malta, Nov. 2007

  • Entheologue with Alex Grey – Presentation & discussion, CoSM: Chapel of Sacred Mirrors, Chelsea district of Manhattan NY, August 2007

  • L’art visionnaire et les hallucinations – Presentation, Colloque sur les Hallucinations dans la Philosophie et les Sciences Cognitives, Paris, May 2007

  • Ernst Fuchs et l’école viennoise du réalisme fantastique – Presentation, Mairie de Nogent-sur-Marne, Paris, Oct. 2006

  • Les entheogènes et l’art visionnaire – Presentation, EHESS - Ecole des Hautes Etudes en Sciences Sociales, Paris, May 2006

TEACHING ENGAGEMENTS

 

  • The Alchemy of Paint - Winter Trimester at The Vienna Academy of Visionary Art, 2016

  • The 2014 Summer Seminar at Torri Superiore Italy – Co-teaching with Amanda Sage & A. Andrew Gonzalez, July 204

  • The 2013 Summer Seminar at Torri Superiore Italy – Co-teaching with Amanda Sage, A. Andrew Gonzalez & Maura Holden, July 2013

  • Manifest Your Vision - Co-teaching the first three trimesters at The Vienna Academy of Visionary Art with David Heskin & Aloria Weaver (Fall 2013), Timea Tallian & Benedetto Fellin (Winter 2014) and Daniel Mirante & Kuba Ambrose (Spring 2014)

  • Enter Through the Image: Painting Sacred Visions in the Mischtechnik – A five-day workshop at The Omega Institute in Rhinebeck NY – May 31 - June 6, 2013

  • Visualizing Shape into Form - Workshop with Maura Holden at CoSM: The Chapel of Sacred Mirrors, Wappinger NY,  June 8, 2013

  •  Express Your Energy in Paint - The Mana Prima Technique - An afternoon workshop together with Amanda Sage & A. Andrew Gonzalez, teaching 300 people at The Liminal Village, Boom Festival, August 2012

  • The 2012 Expanded Visions in the Mischtechnik - Summer Seminar at Torri Superiore Italy – Co-teaching with Amanda Sage, A. Andrew Gonzalez & Maura Holden, July 2012

  • Enter Through the Image: Painting Sacred Visions in the Mischtechnik – A five-day workshop at The Omega Institute in Rhinebeck NY – September 30 - October 5, 2012

  • The 2011 Expanded Visions in the Mischtechnik Seminar at Torri Superiore Italy – Co-teaching with Amanda Sage, A. Andrew Gonzalez and Maura Holden, July 2011

  • The 2010 Visions in the Mischtechnik Seminar at Torri Superiore Italy – Co-teaching with Amanda Sage, & A. Andrew Gonzalez, July 2010

  • The 2009 Visions in the Mischtechnik Seminar at Torri Superiore Italy – July 2009

  • The 2008 Visions in the Mischtechnik Summer Seminar at Torri Superiore Italy – July 2008

PODCAST INTERVIEWS

 

PAST EVENTS

ALCHEMY OF PAINT - 2019

       In the Winter of 2019, I led a wonderful group of talented artists through The Alchemy of Paint at The Vienna Academy of Visionary Art. Seven of my lectures were filmed and posted online as The Alchemy, Visions & Art Series. 

 

RETROSPECTIVE IN VIENNA - 2018

       In the Spring of 2018, The Vienna Academy of Visionary Art held a retrospective of my work, with 16 of my paintings and many drawings on exhibition. The Opening was well-attended.

 

LAUNCH OF SACRED CODES - VIENNA 2018

       The Book Launch was accompanied by a lecture where I discussed some of the basic principles of the book. 

 

THE OPENING OF THE VIENNA ACADEMY OF VISIONARY ART ~ 2013

       The Vienna Academy of Visionary Art opened its doors in September of 2013. It was located in the centre of Vienna, just across from the Hofburg Palace. A celebration was held in the Palais Palffy with many artists in attendance, including the Academy's Honorary Director, Professor Ernst Fuchs. My wife Florence Ménard and myself co-directed the Academy for seven year. 

SOLO EXHIBITION IN PARIS - 2012

GROUP EXHIBITION IN PARIS - 2012

       The exhibition opened with an Evening of Live Painting featuring Liba WS and myself, with Shaye B providing shamanic chants and instruments.

TEACHING AT THE OMEGA INSTITUTE - 2012

       For two years in a row, I gave week-long workshops at the Omega Institute in Upstate New York, teaching the Mischtechnik and leading students through visualizations. 

ENTHEOLOGUE AT COSM - 2008

       At a time when Psychedelics were still a relatively taboo subject, Alex Grey and I had an evening-long discussion about the nature of psychedelic experience. 

EXHIBITION IN MALTA - 2007

       In 2007, I was thrilled to be invited to the Metageum conference, where I exhibited five of my original paintings and also gave a talk on Approaching Megalithic Culture Through the Ancient Image Language. Along with Erik Davis and Gyrus, I formed part of a discussion panel on Entheogens in Megalithic Culture. It was a pleasure to return to the island of my ancestors.  

LCARUANA.COM

Email: visionnaire@lcaruana.com