Transformative Theatricality: The Sacred in Aleister Crowley’s Dramatic Rituals and Antonin Artaud’s Theatre of Cruelty
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Abstract
This paper examines how Aleister Crowley’s dramatic rituals and Antonin Artaud’s Theatre of Cruelty express the sacred and blur boundaries between art and spirituality. By analysing Crowley’s performative esotericism and Artaud’s iconoclastic theatrical vision, it explores the transformative potential of art as a sacred act. It tries to analyse the reiteration of theatrical constructs of both Crowley and Artaud to understand how the art and spirituality seamlessly integrate by mimicking the sacred and profane. The study further situates their works within the broader context of alternative spiritualities, addressing iconoclasm and cultural syncretism. This interdisciplinary inquiry bridges performance, religion, and esotericism.
Presenter Biography
Nishan Chakrabartty is an independent scholar from India with focussed interest in Theatre and Performance Studies and Religious studies. He has completed his post graduate degree in Arts and Aesthetics with focus on European theatre and cultural studies. His interest in occult and esotericism straddles the boundaries of religion and ritual which inherently becomes a part of performance. A lifelong fascination with such nuances of religiosity coupled with the specialised academic training has enabled him to approach the interdisciplinary nature of performance, theatre and religion.