ANIMA MUNDI
“Everything is connected with everything and acts on everything; there was no inside that does not appear as outside and as acting on the world, no aspect of the world that was not charged with psyche and psychically connected.”
Erich Neumann
Curated by Alkistis Tsampouraki.
Ali Banisadr, Marc Chagall, Sheila Chiamaka Chukwulozie, Eleni Christodoulou, Alekos Fassianos, Barbara Hepworth, Augustin Lesage, Yulia Iosilzon, Konstantina Krikzoni, Antonio Obá, František Jaroslav Pecka, Jannis Varelas, Myrtle Williams
L’Appartement proudly presents the group exhibition Anima Mundi, which pays homage to the ever-present idea of interconnectedness. At a time when we are more 'disconnected' and 'disenchanted' than ever, the notion of an intrinsic connection between all living beings and the universe continues to resonate in contemporary philosophical, ecological, and spiritual discourse. Ancient philosophers and alchemists referred to this essence of the world as the Anima Mundi, the 'Soul of the World'. They envisioned the World Soul as a pure ethereal spirit diffused throughout all nature — the divine essence that animates and energises all forms of life.
The exhibition brings together paintings, sculptures and video by a diverse group of international artists and examines how these artists — being centuries apart — use symbols and images as a language for expressing the ‘Soul of the World’. Deeply connected to Carl Jung's theory of the collective unconscious, which contains archetypes or universal primordial images, the Anima Mundi embodies the shared symbols and narratives that shape our perceptions of and interactions with the world.
The works presented here evoke powerful symbols and forms that resonate with universal themes, offering a visual language that links the personal with the cosmic. In doing so, they bridge the microcosm — the inner life of the individual — with the macrocosm, the wider cosmos. Each artwork becomes a point of connection to the archetypal realm, inviting viewers to reflect on their own place within the greater whole.
Much like medieval alchemists who sought to unlock the mysteries of matter, the artists in this exhibition use their creative process as a symbolic act of inner transformation. Through bronze, ceramic, and painted canvas, their figures and forms exist in various states of becoming, evoking a transcendent sense of self. The resulting dialogue is both a rich account of creativity and a powerful commentary on interconnectedness, inviting us to engage with alternative modes of being and encouraging a deeper attunement to the world and our place within it.
As the alchemists understood, the Anima Mundi is itself a creative force: "It is the artist, the craftsperson, the 'inner vision' which shapes and differentiates the prime matter, giving it form." In this sense, artists become modern-day alchemists, transforming raw materials into conduits that express and illuminate the interconnected soul of the world. Through their imaginative engagement with these archetypes, the artists presented in this exhibition participate in the process of ‘re-ensouling’ the world, making the Invisible visible.
