Trans-Art

In Part 1: Optical Awakening, the artist expressed the process of ‘spiritual awakening’ in his paintings based on his own experience.[4]

In Part 2: Tasting Art, he integrated Art with Taste in order to express a glimpse of awakening through an extraordinary tasting exhibition.[5]

In Part 3: Mobile Art, he combined Technology with Art, using digital devices such as a smart-phone and applications.[6]

“Trans-Art is ‘Art’ that transcends the conventional form of art in order to express and experience the ‘formless essence of art’ which shares one and the same nature with our ‘true essence beyond form’."

In part 1, the artist attempts to express the ‘Enlightenment and Awakening’ which is beyond ‘Form’, by using the multi-dimensional expression method that he acquired from his own experience of the ‘enlightening and awakening’ process.”[7]

― An indirect experience of ‘Spiritual Transcendence’ : ‘Visualization of Enlightenment and Awakening’ into Art

—  Trans-Art official website , Introduction to Trans-Art

Sewon was well known in his youth as a prodigious painter[8][9] until he discontinued his art and majored in Politics, Philosophy and Economics at Oxford University.[10] However, the unexpected and sudden passing of his father, who was a founder of the Hanol religion[11] (the religious re-establishment of the Korean national founding principle based on the philosophy of spiritual transcendence),[12] eventually led him to return to art expressing ‘spiritual transcendence’ based on his own experience.[3]

His father was the founder of the Hanol religion[13] - the re-establishment of the Korean traditional religion which foresaw the possibility of evolution in human consciousness from 'Ego-state' to 'Awakened-state' 5000 years ago.[12]

According to the Introduction to Trans-Art, “as the son of an unconventional religious leader, he had to experience unbearable religious upheaval as well as personal sacrifice of freedom from very early on in his childhood.“

Sewon became obsessive in painting, which was his only means to extricate himself from the mental suffering caused by his given reality of religious prejudice and discrimination. His compulsively acquired painting skill helped him to win a National art competition with a reward to study abroad (Georgetown Preparatory School, the United States).[14]

Sewon held two solo exhibitions in high school as a young talented artist.[15] He was well-known in his youth as a prodigious painter,[8] until his failure to perform a new concept of installation art (Super-Individualism Art)[16] discouraged him in such a way that he eventually gave up his art.[17] Instead of pursuing art, he majored in Politics, Philosophy and Economics at Oxford University (B.A. and M.A. in PPE).[10]

However, after the sudden passing of his father, he was forced to make painful personal sacrifices again. He had to take on insurmountable financial liability and the responsibility of restructuring his father's legacy, which eventually led him to return to art, expressing the sacred teachings on spiritual transcendence, not only based on his father's teachings, but from his own self-confirmation of the spiritual awakening experience.[3]

Trans-Art can also be regarded as the (Non-religious) elaboration of the 'Art of Enlightenment and Awakening' which he introduced as leader of the HANOL spiritual foundation.[7] His art became a driving force behind the structural evolution of the Hanol-religion.[18]

Dangun, the Founding Father of Korea,[19] initiated the 'Principles of Hanol Spirit' (the teachings on enlightenment and awakening) introducing the possibility of spiritual transcendence to its people - the evolution of human consciousness from the Ego-state to the Transcendental-state.[12]

After 5000 years, the Hanol principles were consolidated into a religious foundation by Shin Jeong Yil,[20][21] the founder of the Hanol religion.[22][23]

However, after the sudden passing of the founder in 1999,[24] the legal descendant Sewon Shin inevitably took on the responsibility of leadership in an emergency, immediately after graduating from Oxford.[3]

During his leadership, he expressed the essence of the transcendental philosophy of the 'Hanol Principle' in the 'Spiritual art of Enlightenment and Awakening' based on his own experience.[25]

He attempted to transform the existing belief system by integrating ‘Art and Spirituality’. Sewon introduced the concept of 'Spiritual Audience' instead of the traditional notion of religious followers.[17]

After he successfully reformed the HANOL foundation, Sewon resigned from the leadership in order to introduce Trans-Art.[12]

Trans-Art can be considered the re-establishment of the 'Art of Enlightenment and Awakening' in a pure art form (Non-religious form), and the elaboration of "Super-Individualism art (i.e. Trans-ego art)” which he introduced at the Tokyo exhibition. This is based on the self-confirmation of the sacred teachings on ‘Spiritual Transcendence’ that he acquired.[7]

The artist shows the dynamic process of the transformation in the creation of art with multi-dimensional perspectives that he acquired from his spiritual experience. Sewon attempts to “express the ‘enlightenment and awakening’ which is beyond ‘Form’, by using the ‘multi-dimensional method of expression’ based on the transformational perspective that he acquired from his own experience of enlightenment and awakening.”[26]

After the unexpected passing of his father, he experienced absolute despair. The inability to extricate himself from the inescapable quagmire of his religious destiny forced him to suffer a serious mental breakdown. It compelled him to reach a decision to commit suicide, which seemed to be inevitable and the only choice to him then.

However, at the critical moment of self-extinction, he experienced 'Gyun-Sung: a glimpse of enlightening and the following determination of unconditional surrender to the suchness of Life’, which was the beginning of the irreversible process of the ‘gradual awakening in his consciousness.’

— Trans-Art official website, A Brief history of Trans-Artist[27]

In the 'Optical Awakening series', he is expressing the process of ‘Ego dis-identification’ that he acquired from the suicidal experience which caused the separation of the ‘Ego-mind (artificial mental-algorithm of involuntarily constructed mind-structure)’ and ‘Consciousness (True-Nature)’, initiating the gradual awakening in his consciousness.[7]

From the enlightening experiences, he came to realize that art and spirituality share one and the same nature of showing the doorway into another dimension of consciousness where our true essence beyond ‘form’ is indwelling. He is expressing a glimpse of ‘enlightenment and awakening’ which is ‘beyond form’ by using the ‘form of Trans-art’.[28]

According to the guidance to Trans-Art, Trans Art Part 1, the multi-dimensional expression of "Enlightenment and Awakening", can be regarded as an indirect experience of 'Spiritual Transcendence' and a 'Glimpse of Enlightenment' in the form of art – “the ‘Preview of the Ego dis-identification’ which entails the separation of Mind (Ego) & Consciousness (True Nature).”[29]

In his major work, the Trans-art part 1 ‘Optical Awakening series’, the Trans-artist shows the consecutive phases of the ‘Enlightenment and Awakening’ process which consists of: 'Awakening Dimensions', ‘Initiation of awakening’, ‘Awakening True-nature’, ‘Flash of Enlightening’, ‘Trans-perceiving Ego’, ‘Dark-side of Ego’, ‘Trans-Quantum physics of mind’, ‘Trans-perceiving mental synapse’, ‘Self-Liberation’, ‘Breaking Free’, ‘Quest for Immortality’, and ‘Trans-Perception’.[30]

Trans-Art can be considered as the re-establishment of the 'Art of Enlightenment and Awakening: the quintessence of Transcendental philosophy' in the form of fine art, and the elaboration of "Super-Individualism art[31] (i.e. Trans-ego art)” which he introduced at the Tokyo exhibition.[7]

The Hanol Spiritual and Cultural Movement of Art is a new way of experiencing religion without religious obligation or religious participation by integrating Art and Spirituality.[32]

According to official guidance, Hanol-gyo is an unconventional religion as it encourages other religions and respects their way of pursuing Truth. This is due to its founding principle that regards ‘all proper religion as having the same root and the same destination, the Truth.’[33]

In commemoration of the 50th anniversary, Hanol-gyo officially agreed upon reformation at the general assembly, and endorsed the Hanol Spiritual & Cultural Movement of Art for non-believers and the believers of other religions to experience the Hanol Principles without any religious obligation.[34]

At the official request of Hanol-gyo, the artist provided his artworks [Optical Awakening], for the Hanol Spiritual & Cultural Movement of Art.[35]

Optical Awakening is a direct expression of enlightenment and a catalyst for awakening in Art form, in which people can experience the quintessence of Hanol religion and its philosophy simply by appreciating the artworks, rather than participating in a conventional form of religious activity or becoming a spiritual seeker.[36]

By using Tran-Art [Optical Awakening], as teaching material and as a learning device of Hanol Spiritual Art, the number of non-religious participants in Hanol-gyo has grown significantly. It presented a new possibility for the development of religious culture and structural evolution of religion by expanding the religious boundaries to include a wider perspective.[37]

His art provided the basis for the 1st and the 2nd reformation of Hanol-gyo.[18]

The Gates, which have been introduced as the signature artwork of Optical Awakening Trans-Art, is a sculpture depicting the ‘Gates of Heaven(Nirvana)’ inspired by la Porte de I'Enfer - The Gates of Hell, the unfinished masterpiece sculpture by Auguste Rodin.[36]

"While The Gates of Hell symbolize the beginning of endless suffering on the one side, it could also symbolize the end of suffering from the other side, if one could extricate himself from hell through that gate.

According to Buddha, Nirvana (ultimate transcendence, the absolute awakening) is simply the end of dukkha, the end of suffering. It means that the Gates of Hell could be the Gates of Nirvana at the same time, depending on which side of the gates that one is standing on.

— official introduction to The Gates[38] [39]

According to the official introduction, “the artist projected what he had realized during the days of miserable agony after the sudden passing of his father. He was forced to be responsible for insurmountable amount of liability which he believed the only way out of his misery was to commit suicide. However, the painful experience helped the artist to realize the simple but profound truth which he depicted in his artwork, The Gates.[37]

The artist shows that the suchness of life and your perceived reality is a mirror that reflects you. “It is when you voluntarily accept the unacceptable aspects of life, instead of resenting or giving up in the face of unacceptable reality, that what you perceived to be the Gates to hell will show its true face and turn into the Gates through which you can discover your true nature that cannot be distorted by whatever happens in your life. By giving up what makes up your ego and leaving it behind the gates, you will be left with the immutable essence that cannot be altered by form and phenomena. That immutability is your True Nature that will shine even if you let go of your dark ego.” – interview with Korean Economy[40]

The Gates face Hell on one side and Heaven on the other. It was made so that a rusty mirror, which has become damaged and discolored, reflects the viewers on the side toward Hell, and a clean and clear mirror reflects the viewers on the side toward Heaven. It has been explained that it is up to the viewers to decide on which side they want to stand to see the reflections of themselves and the world, and that this privilege to choose your own state is a true gift or blessing from God. The artist denotes that it is also the essence of free will that cannot be taken away by anyone.[41]

The artist indicates that Heaven and Hell may not refer to a certain location or place, but actually one’s inner state of consciousness. The question of what to have reflected on the gates and which side of the gates to open depends on the individual’s own volition and their present state of consciousness.[35]

After the artist realized that Taste, as well as Vision, can be an effective means to show us a way into another dimension of consciousness where our true nature is indwelling, he attempted to integrate Art with Taste in order to express a glimpse of awakening by providing an extraordinary tasting experience only once for each participant.[42] The artist provides a 'once in a lifetime tasting exhibition' for an audience to experience the moment of speechless and mindless state of consciousness - a glimpse of your True Nature, the beauty itself.[43]

In Tasting Art ‘The Cho : Just Once’, he transforms ‘The Cho (a specially blended liquid substance based on a Korean authentic craft vinegar)’ into an art device to express a taste of Satori (the moment of speechless and mindless state of consciousness.) in the mind of audience.[44]

In his first tasting art exhibition, he introduced opus 1 ‘Tasting Blossom’, opus 2 ‘Korean Suicide Stopper’ and opus 3 ’Pyong Yang Naeng Myeon’.[45] [46]

• Sewon Shin
• Shin Jeong Yil
• Hanol-gyo

• Art of Enlightenment and Awakening (in English)
• Trans-Art (in English and Korean)
• Shin Sewon - website (in English and Korean)