Javid Jah Hyle (Material Prima)

Walnut, polished stainless steel, aluminum, steel & LED lights. 36" W x 36" H x 36" D (72" H when standing on ballast)

Hyle is prime matter (material prima) believed to be the substance of our vital spirit, according to the ancient tradition of alchemy. The sculpture describes how the inward journey towards Hyle is reflected in the outward orbits of the planets, once considered metals.

According to the Hermetic tradition, epitomized by the quote Òas above, so belowÓ, prime matter is at the essence of our existence, yet veiled by our attachment to the sensory, physical dimension. This essential duality of human experience is analogous to that of the Universe, which is expressed in this sculpture through its composition of material, form and light. In one sense, the wood and mirror play off the notion of our body and intellect - the opaque and the reflective, the finite and the infinite. In another sense, the form expresses the duality of our senses and our imagination - presence vs void, waking vs dreaming, the witnessed vs the unseen. The pursuit of balance between these poles is symbolically found in the penetration of light, piercing the opacity of the body and illuminating the hidden dimensions of our cosmic form. This path of illumination is represented by the generation of planetary orbits, once believed to represent the metals, which move from corrupt and dense (such as lead/Saturn) to the noble and glowing (such as gold/Sun).

Through this path towards purification, the human soul undergoes a transmutation akin to a corrupt metal transforming into a noble one. The result of this process is known as the embodiment of the spirit, or the spiritualization of the body - a state in which one finds reunion with hyle, or their materia prima. It is thus the origin and the fruit of the alchemical work.