Manifesto of Florescencism

1st Edition

Back to Edition Switcher

When our imagination is active with an art-efficient intelligence, it not only makes the ordinary world around us become more wondrous, more beautiful and more complete, but it also brings us creative approaches to challenges. It brings us a sacred space of beauty to contemplate our social realities.

There is currently a lack of balance in the dominating scenes of artistic expressions. The lack of balance is due to the over use of shock value and stunt style approach to art pieces to create quick attention seeking effects. This is in line with the side effect of instant-gratification in our internet age which has brought us also a click-bates culture.

Campaigns against global warming and other environmental crises cannot be fully effective, unless a genuine connection to the earth and nature around us comes to a balance. The current endemic of coronovirus is highlighting more symptoms of the lack of closeness and relation with nature, as well as a society which is far more in competition for wealth than community building.

Alongside the movements of slow journalism, peace journalism, outdoor garden projects like the Eden Project, in the artistic field there is need for a similar initiative to create a balance in our international society:

• Gentle serene art to balance our responsiveness to a wide range of stimuli.
• Art engaged in social science and neurosciences creates a better balance in people's perceptions on society.

Building on past movements and neuro-aesthetics

• The Pre-Raphaelites and Golden Ages of painting and illustration.
• Art Nouveau for reconnecting with nature at deeper levels.
• Symbolism through archaic symbols and collective psyche.
• Surrealism for subconscious exploration and imagination.
• Expressionism for emotional connection through brush strokes.

Neuroaesthetics: Going beyond definitions of beauty by cultural framings, we delved into neuroscience findings about what touches our nerves and senses during aesthetic experience and how we recognize "being home".

Our method of painting

1. Repetition - rhythm and abundance that caress the senses.
2. Overall organic form - analogies between humans and natural entities.
3. Use of elements in harmony with nature - life-protective creativity.
4. Refreshing palette - renewal amidst dark states.
5. Knowledge inspired - balancing fast information with deep contemplation.
6. Point of infinity - from physical perspective to emotional and mental space.
7. Dancing brush strokes - rhythm and grace in expression.
8. Directionality and movement - affirmation of life in process.

The term "florescencism" was first coined in an essay Lida Sherafatmand wrote in 2016, to express flowering out of difficulties. While this movement was being prepared, the cornovirus pandemic broke out and highlighted many imbalances this manifesto addresses.

Artist Signatories

• Lida Sherafatmand (painter, based in Malta)
• Milko Nestoroski (painter, based in Struga, North Macedonia)
• Natalia Lange (painter, based in St Petersburg, Russia)
• Stanislava Malahovskaya (painter, based in St Petersburg, Russia)

2nd Edition

Back to Edition Switcher

Context

For quite a while art pieces with a soft touch, expressing gentle beauty have been ignored in the art scene, because we have become used to negative shock and sensational news. Covid-19 forced a pause and the value of sanctuary.

A shift is needed in post-COVID times to rebalance the art scene. New knowledge from neuroasthetics, energy psychology, and energy medicine should be reflected in art if we mirror developments in human civilization.

When imagination is active with art-efficient intelligence, it brings beauty, completeness, creative approaches to challenges, and sacred space to contemplate social realities.

Today's trends and response

The 2nd edition keeps the same core response: gentle stimuli, social-science and neuroscience engagement, and a restorative balance to counter overuse of shock and spectacle.

It continues the same method: repetition, overall organic form, harmony with nature, refreshing palette, knowledge inspired practice, point of infinity, dancing brush strokes, and movement.

Co-authored by Lida Sherafatmand and Milko Nestoroski.

Artists (2nd Edition)

• Lida Sherafatmand (Malta)
• Milko Nestoroski (North Macedonia)
• Natalia Yuryeva (Russia)
• Paola Dias Silva (India)
• Stanislava Malahovskaya (Russia)
• Verena Wild (Germany)
• Rima Day (USA)
• Teramoto Yuriko (Japan)
• Rahim Baloch (Pakistan)
• Nina Lynn - Musician (The Netherlands)
• Ellen Jewett (Canada)