Monday, April 23, 2007

Fantasy Dictionary Definition: Enciani

Enciani: noun, en-see-AH-nee, artist-healer(s).
Encianis: (noun) healing through art
Enciania (verb): the act of art healing.

Enciani work in the worlds of color, form, texture, and music. Each enciani works to express her or his inner world and its meaning. In their work with others, enciani encourage art appreciation and in particular the active exploration of personal creativity to help develop a rounded personality and open a very personal pathway to healing and growth. Enciani often work with other healers, particularly quilard (word-healers), alibin (spirit-wise) and morgisti (body-healers), in therapeutic situations.

The African woman is from a German advertising brochure for the musical "The Lion King". Whenever I see this brochure, I grab as many of them as I decently can, because I love this image. The woman is so earthy, the materials and colors in her costume are vibrant, and her stance exudes energy. To me, she represents an image of art that is sensual, grounded, loud, and very, very present.

I appreciate the art of many cultures, including the "fine" art of my own European background, but I think the enciani understanding of what art means (rather than what it looks, feels, or sounds like) is more akin to African-style art.

* * *

"If you ask me what I came to do in this world, I, an artist, I will answer you: "I am here to live out loud." (Emile Zola)

1 comment:

Jill said...

Oh these are all so wonderful - the thread running through them is so significant to me - lovely, lovely work!