Wednesdays, April 19, 26, May 3, 10
7 – 9 pm ET
$125 Patreon Members / $145 General Admission

PLEASE NOTE: All classes will also be recorded and archived for students who cannot make that time

Alchemy and the Symbolics of Color is a four-part course exploring the physical and philosophical underpinnings of color symbolism in alchemical and mystic practice.

Readings and bibliography will be provided.

1 Alchemy, Cosmos, and Vision - April 19

Beginning with the physical cosmos and biology this class outlines basic alchemical and color theory. Through examining Isaac Newton’s hermetic work in alchemy and optics, the evolution of the eye, the biological processes of vision, and optical illusions, this class will provide a solid grounding in the physics and biology of color perception as well as alchemical theory.

2 Theorists of Color and Language - April 26

In contrast to Isaac Newton’s hermetic philosophy, is Johann Wolfgang von Goethe’s humanist/ romantic view of the origins of color. Starting from the human experience of color Goethe explores a wide range of color phenomenon his theory of color isn’t so much of a theory as it is an extremely wide range of observations and experiment. Key to both Newton’s and Goethe’s work is the prism. We will look at their use of the prism in articulating their views as well as Goethe’s other observations and experiments on color that will be demonstrated in class.

We will also look at language and color and the role of names and naming through the comments of Wittgenstein and the initial observations of Berlin and Kay and the current results of the ongoing World Color Survey.

3 On Light - May 3

Color is light in a diaphanous medium. This phrase from Bishop Robert Grosseteste’s De Colore (ca 1230) is the thread that guides the color theory work of Goethe, Kandinsky, and Florensky. Before picking up this thread we will first look at On Light (1225), Grosseteste’s theory of the creation reminiscent of the current Big Bang model.

With a grasp of this amazing model we will then follow that thread – color is light in a diaphanous medium – through the theoretical work of these mystics, scientists, artists – Wolfgang von Goethe, Wassily Kandinsky, and Pavel Florensky.

4 The Ascent of Mt. Anagoge. Iconography and Alchemy - May 10

This class will look at very specific practices that work with color in a symbolic way – Orthodox Christian Iconography and Alchemical practice. And in doing so begin to understand the symbolics of color common to both.

Brian Cotnoir is an alchemist, artist, and award-winning filmmaker. A contributor to Frater Albertus’ Parachemy, he is also the author of a series of Alchemy Zines. His books include Alchemy: The Poetry of Matter (2017), Practical Alchemy: A Guide to the Great Work, Alchemical Meditations, On the Quintessence of Wine, and the Emerald Tablet, his translations of and commentary on, the earliest Arabic and Latin versions of this seminal text. His Emerald Tablet was part of the Language of the Birds: Occult and Art show in 2016 in New York City.

He occasionally gives talks and has presented workshops and seminars around the world on various aspects of alchemical theory and practice based on his research.

His film work has been screened at Museum of Modern Art, Sundance Film Festival, HBO, PBS and other international venues.

Khepri Press, launched in 2014 with the publication of the Emerald Tablet, is the vehicle and portal for his alchemical work.