The Mission of Art: 20th Anniversary Edition, Paperback

Twenty years after the original publication of The Mission of Art, Alex Grey's inspirational message affirming art's power for personal catharsis and spiritual awakening is stronger than ever. This book combines extensive knowledge of art history with phases of human consciousness evolution and shares firsthand experiences in creating art at the boundaries of madness and mysticism. Grey examines the roles of conscience and intention in the creative process, including practical techniques and exercises useful in exploring the spiritual dimensions of art. Challenging and thought-provoking, The Mission of Art will be appreciated by everyone who has ever contemplated the deeper purpose of creative expression.

Alex Grey is best known for his psychedelic depictions of the human body that "x-ray" the multiple layers of reality and reveal the interplay of anatomical and spiritual forces. His visionary paintings have been featured in venues as diverse as the album art of TOOL, the Beastie Boys, and Nirvana, as well as Newsweek magazine, the Discovery Channel, NYC's Rose Planetarium, Burning Man, The New Museum, The San Diego Museum of Contemporary Art, LSD blotter art, and countless tattoos worldwide. Alex Grey and his beloved, Allyson Grey, cofounded CoSM (Chapel of Sacred Mirrors), an Art Church in the Hudson Valley where a Sanctuary of Visionary Art is being built to benefit and uplift a global community.