An Introduction to Encounters Take Precedence by Richard Devereux

I would like to begin, if I may, by raising a few questions about the idea of visiting exhibitions.

When we go to an exhibition what are we looking for?
What kind of encounter are we perhaps searching for?

It seems to me that this exhibition of work by Richard Devereux, far from inviting analysis of what we see at the level of intellect, instead encourages us to merge with the life of the work, and this, I propose, is a process of nature, because the work is connected to nature. In Sanskrit there are two words relating to nature which seem very relevant to this work: Svyambhuv - which means self-born aesthetic and Rupa - which means man-made. I feel that in this work, there is a pure wish mediated through action, which precipitates a reciprocation from Nature. And between the two there’s a gap. If you imagine bouncing a ball against a wall, the trajectory of its return journey is different from that of its outward journey and between the two there is a gap. And in this work, the birth of the experience seems to take place in the life of this gap, because within this gap, when the wishes of the artist merge with the response from nature, there is an amplification of the pure intention.

The experience which results, is itself I believe, connected to the past and the future, and here, it is necessary briefly - to go back in time. Henri Matisse wrote: ‘When we speak of nature it would be wrong to forget that we are ourselves a part of nature. We ought to view ourselves with the same curiosity and strangeness with which we might study a tree, a flower or a thought, for we too are linked to the entire universe.’ Matisse intimates a powerful subliminal drive which has coursed through the western arts for the last 700 years and which has a pure intentionality. The proposition I wish to put forward, based on the evidence of my own experience, is that the work in this exhibition issues directly from the momentum of this drive, and it provides us with a point of connection with the ‘present living moment.’

The root of this drive began in the British Isles, during the medieval era, when there were mystics who venerated nature and who had an unconditional love for the whole of humanity. These individuals were merged with nature and connected to universal consciousness and they vibrated standing stones in West Wales and other parts of the UK. When you stand before one of these stones, you can experience vibrations of consciousness flowing towards you. A teacher of meditation from India has stated that universal consciousness is an energy which exists in every particle of this universe - and wherever this energy
becomes concentrated - it starts to flow.

Towards the end of this era there was a shift from a heart-felt connection with nature towards an analytical approach, based upon an increasing faith in intellect, and as a result of the rising authority of intellect, the connection with nature and universal consciousness began to diminish and this, I believe, became a powerful catalyst for creativity within the arts over the next 700 years - the aim being - to regain connection with the flow of consciousness.
Here is just one example from the arts: In 2004 an archivist working at the British Museum received a package containing a single score from Beethoven’s 6th symphony. The score was full of crossings out, corrections, and notes about further revisions. On opening the parcel the archivist experienced a great emanation of energy rising up from the score and expanding out into the surrounding space. What does this signify? It indicates that Beethoven wrote music for humanity from his soul. It reveals that he had a pure wish at soul-level for the wellbeing, upliftment, equality, and progress of humanity.

Let me share two experiences I have received from the work of Richard Devereux who has created this exhibition: In 2007, I visited his studio. In the late afternoon, I was shown a small work on paper - the artwork had a diameter of about 6 inches. I must have been standing no less that 4 feet away, when I began to experience a continuous stream of energy flowing towards me, which later put me in mind of a similar experience I’d had in 2004, while standing before a stone that had been vibrated by a Celtic mystic, living in West Wales in the 6thc.

Encounters take precedence.

Earlier in the afternoon I had entered an enclosed area of the studio in which about seven large works on paper were temporarily displayed. I immediately went into a trance and then into a state of meditation in which I experienced waves of consciousness rising up through the body to the crown. This is significant because in meditation, we can connect with universal consciousness at the crown.

I believe that we are moving from the age of intellect into the age of consciousness and in this regard, the works of this artist anticipate a creative practice in the future in which there may be a convergence between creativity and meditation at a high natural level. When an artist’s work is inspired by pure
intentionality, deep focus and an open heart - then their work may connect with the flow of nature. And when this happens it becomes a channel for unseen energy which emanates life-enhancing experiences and upliftment. Through these means, their work may help society to fulfil its latent desire to advance beyond thought, and through meditation merge with the flow of consciousness. And it is in this way that we realise our humanity.

Reality cannot be represented by music, literature, architecture or art, but what is so beautiful, is that reality can flow through all of the arts as a living experience. This exhibition gives living evidence for the proposition I’ve put forward. I commend this exhibition to you.

Martin Griffiths

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