In this engaging discussion, Tim Pickerill, a Brooklyn-based artist, musician, and Vajrayana practitioner, shares his journey through various creative mediums and esoteric traditions. He reflects on 25 years of artistic evolution, weaving mythology with personal challenges. The conversation dives into the emotional depths of longing and despair, exploring the interplay between love, death, and existential isolation. Tim also offers insights into ritual and self-discovery, inviting listeners to connect with their vulnerabilities and empowered selves.
Tim Pickerill emphasizes the deep connection between darkness and creativity in poetry, reflecting on how love intertwines with pain and suffering.
His long-term artistic endeavor, the Omen Project, illustrates the evolution of his creative expression influenced by anthropology and historical events.
Deep dives
Exploring Darkness in Poetry
The discussion centers on the connection between darkness and creativity in poetry, as highlighted by the reading of a poem from Antonin Artaud. This poem reveals themes of deep emotional turmoil and existential dread, illustrating how love intertwines with pain and personal suffering. The verse underscores the struggle to navigate the shadows of the human condition, depicting love as both a desire and a torment, which resonates with many creative minds. By starting with such a profound piece, the conversation sets the tone for a deeper exploration of similar themes in the subsequent works presented.
The Omen Project and Artistic Evolution
Tim Pickerel discusses his long-term artistic endeavor, the Omen Project, which has been shaped by his studies in anthropology, science, and the impacts of historical events like the atomic bomb. He notes that his approach to art over the years has been influenced by surrealism and various performance styles, reflecting a continuous evolution in his creative expression. The project, spanning 25 years, serves as a platform for addressing themes of destruction and rebirth, blending personal and universal narratives. Pickerel’s background informs his distinctive voice in poetry, showcasing an interplay between individual experiences and broader societal issues.
A Journey Through Ritual and Performance
Pickerel shares details of his ritualistic approach to performance, emphasizing the transformative power of artistic expression. He describes a meticulous process, including fasting and the creation of a sacred space, which culminates in an intense physical and emotional experience. This ritual is designed to connect deeply with love and existence, as evidenced by his intricate storytelling and imagery that evokes a sense of the sacred. The performance ultimately serves as a powerful vessel for exploring themes of love, loss, and the cyclical nature of life and death, illustrating how art can be a conduit for personal and collective catharsis.
Join our poetry Salon and Open Mic:
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Tim Pickerill
Tim is a Brooklyn-based Artist, Musician, Writer, and Vajrayana practitioner within the Karma Kagyu lineage under the Karmapa Thaye Dorje and Diamondway Buddhism, led by teacher Lama Ole Nydal. An Anthropologist and Artist by training, he spent 10 years studying extensively in Western Esoteric traditions, as well as Hatha Yoga, Kriya Yoga, and Sanskrit, before taking initiation into the Diamondway in 1998.
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