Post for: Gentiles
Note 5-18-20: I just want to explicitly write that I’m not encouraging readers to “convert” or “return” to a certain religion, especially not Catholicism, or any other Christianity for that matter. I’m merely reporting on the phenomenology.
At the beginning of this decade, expect to see a rise in religion and spirituality not seen since the 1960s. After the era of social media boom: Kardashian-West and the Biebers are among the titans of culture pushing religiousness into the forefront.
This painting, called the “Salvador Mundi” (an image of Christ), was sold at auction by Christie’s, in 2019, for $450 Million — the highest painting at bid ever, labeled as a Leonardo De Vinci. The buyer was the current Saudi Prince (MBS). At the close of the year, The Louvre was denied request to exhibit the object, as the French were suspected of, and did indeed chose to later classify the work as “from the school of Leonardo De Vinci” — devaluating the work enormously.
A standout moment to end the decade: the most expensive painting of all time is an image of Christ.
Culture
Kanye West broke out with his new religious identity at Coachella 2019, his Sunday Service Church Choir band in tandem.
Pioneering markets (Germany, Silicon Valley) have been integrating insights of Western psychology and Eastern spirituality; Meanwhile, in the past decade, Paganism was America’s largest growing religion. The reintroduction and proliferation of cannabis, recreational and laboratory use of psychedelics, affects the cultural psyche causing vast individuals to calibrate or fall into catastrophe over their innate spirituality, religious archetypal substructures and inner conflicts. This is a backdrop of what’s to come.
The luxury “wellness” and yoga trends of the European and American elite have been well publicized over the last half-decade. However, broader access to (real or false) wealth and an audience, will make material chauvinism increasingly less valuable. Therefore, a heightened sense of personal integrity will become ubiquitous. Notice how the powerful Kanye West and Kim Kardashian West are already setting themselves up for this cultural shift.
Emerging as a powerful proponent of this religious revivalism, Kanye West began passionately spreading his testament to Christ with the Sunday Service series throughout 2019. A broader Black spiritual revivalism in the arts and music, will promote themes of fidelity, honor, family and tradition.
Kardashian family-man Disick used the term “sex addict” for the first time this season to define his rampant issues with infidelity.
As prominent figures in popular culture speak more openly about marriage, religion and mental health, we will see closer examination and nuance of male sexuality. The use of the term “sex addict” will become increasingly common as a conversational starter for men.
Rapper, actor, model, A$AP Rocky cleverly chose to outline his “history” with “sex addiction” at the close of the year — pre-empting a sex-video leak.
Recently, stars like Kevin Hart, socialites like Scott Disick, and young artist-entrepreneurs like Offset (of Migos), have publicly dealt with the consequences of “cheating.” Over the coming years, we will see many difficult and progressive discussions regarding the dangers of sexual energy, if left unchecked — by cultural code, personal creed, or religious-identity.
This building cultural awareness forces men who wish to be in successful relationships — with real-life women, and not robots — to have an increased consciousness regarding their “psychological biases” (otherwise called, “biological programming,” or else “lack of character”).
This developing cultural vision of marriage and relationship is reminiscent of the kings and queens of late history in Europe. It seems that our future is a logical conclusion of our origins, as well as the subsequent Roman Kingdoms, diasporas and general Colonialism in the West; psychologically speaking, that is, some progression from the whore-property, whore-virgin, romantic, and finally individualistic image — which streamlines into a spiritual zeitgeist that is in a process of crystallization.
In the decade 2020: Each of us, as individual ego-identities, are kings and queens of our domains; therefore our unions represent a coming-together of two worlds — or, for the shallow, two brands. The potential heights of this world-brand merger are exalted in the form of a king and queen: Jay and Bey, Kim and Ye.
The camp which hypes religion, marriage and devoted unions, will likely cause tensions with those who are interested in further “liberation,” openness and polyamory, lasciviousness. This is not to mention the aesthetic conflicts which may arise over the ever-present erotic stripper that glamorizes music videos, figurative paintings and the 'Gram.
We will only see increased conflict in this area before any resolution. This is because paradoxically, the rise in paganism — that is eroticism, polyamory and deviance, as well as psychedelic culture and marijuana culture — will only continue to flourish in the early 20s.
Art
Because of the Instagram Trap “museums,” which dominated sales over the last couple of years, public museums, private institutions and galleries of all sorts will seek innovation in programming.
The art world’s notorious bubble, continually anticipated to burst, will indeed, continue to expand — notwithstanding broader economic catastrophe. This is because steady global economic growth tends to lead towards new markets for luxury goods and funds for the arts.
Catch this: It is the spirit of individualism in commerce and vast expansion of wealth that has (is generating) the art market; it’s not a bubble from within (with many exceptions, of course, like those trashy Koons).
With this Renaissance in art and culture, as to where people’s surplus is spent on the expression of their individual life-world-brand, we will see intensifying conversation and evolution. We might keep in mind:
“The erotic instinct is something questionable. It belongs, on the one hand, to the original animal nature of man. On the other hand, it is connected with the highest forms of the spirit. But it blooms only when the spirit and instinct are in true harmony. If one or the other aspect is missing, then an injury occurs. Too much of the animal disfigures the civilized human being, too much culture makes a sick animal.” (Carl Jung)
The inevitable conflicts between piety and pleasure, instinct and morality will be embodied in each of our lives — unique expressions of a collective ethos that continues to evolve.
By the way, for the painters: figurative works and the highly conceptual works will be increasingly out of style.