SPAGYRIA

SPAGYRIA was the most important principle of Paracelsus in the alchemical preparation of medicines and was on a par with alchemy. The therapeutic goal was the positive influence of the vital forces in order to activate the self-healing powers. Theoretical basis were approaches of ancient natural philosophy such as the element theory, in which all being consists of the four basic elements or root forces: fire, water, earth and air. For Aristotle, „ether“ formed the quintessence of the four basic elements and can be described as the subtle, ethereal element – the pneuma, the Chi, the Holy Spirit.

The associative connection of the elements to human temperaments, the bodily liquids, the geometric solids, the color theory, the cardinal points, astrology and the anthropomorphic gods formed an extensive interdisciplinary concept. According to this concept, any disease or undesirable condition of man indicated an imbalance between the elements and a stagnation of the vital forces.

The series SPAGYRIA seeks to visualize the imbalance of the elements by portraying the human body, with its inner state projected into the landscape in which it is embedded.