Josephin Peladan: Aesthetic Decadence Ochlocratic Art Salons of 1882 & 1883

Péladan, who dared to speak aloud what usually remains implicit in the aesthetic sphere: belief in the artist's alchemical power, in the godlike nature of creation, in the oracular quality of genius. His groundbreaking Parisian Salons of the 1880's are still highly influential to those interested in the relation of art and spirituality. This edition is the first English translation of Peladan's personal writing on the philosophy and execution of those landmark exhibitions.

Author and Translation biography: The work of Perth artist, Robert Buratti is gradually finding it’s way across the world and beyond, from showing on the largest video screen in Times Square New York, to being projected across the iconic Hammer Hall in Melbourne, and its launch into deep space aboard NASA’s OsirisRex mission. His collaborations with other artists such as The Tea Party, and Melbourne Symphony Orchestra, and his numerous appearances in many of Australia’s most high profile art prizes has further introduced his work and ideas to a new range of admirers.

He has written for a number of publications including The Australian newspaper, Australian Art Review, Artist Profile, Raw Magazine (USA), Drum Media, New Dawn and Artwatch. He is a Past President of the Friends of the Art Gallery of WA, Past Editor of Artifacts Magazine (Art Gallery of WA), a member of The Blake Society, and regularly appears as arts commentator on ABC, WestTV and Foxtel channels.

Buratti grew up with a strong interest in visual art and history from an early age. Descended from the 16th century Italian painter, Girolamo Buratti, he couldn’t help but feel drawn to the religious power of the northern Italian masters. After graduating high school, he was awarded a Bachelor of Arts from Macquarie University with majors in english literature, critical theory and psychology. During his study he became interested in Jung’s theories of the collective unconscious and its links to visual art, and it formed the basis of his early approach to paintings. While studying he began his career working for a number of commercial art galleries in Sydney, before continuing to a Master of Arts Administration at the prestigious College of Fine Arts/ UNSW.

In 2012 he curated the first exhibition of English artist and occultist, Aleister Crowley to tour Australia. This was followed by “Windows to the Sacred”, a major 120 work exhibition of esoteric art, touring institutions across New South Wales, Victoria and Tasmania. It presented the original artwork of Rosaleen Norton, Aleister Crowley, Austin Spare, and many of the original exponents of the Parisian Salon de la Rose Croix (1890) alongside contemporary and modernist artists such as Danie Mellor and James Gleeson. The purpose of the exhibition was to present art as a spiritual practice, and the resulting interest from the event prompted Buratti to be invited to consult on subsequent exhibitions at the Venice Biennale, New York University and City Gallery Wellington among others.