Lowell Gustafson

“Shakespeare in the Cave” is brilliant, thought-provoking, connective, and inspiring. What an incredibly multivalent presentation! I’m especially moved by how you synthesize macro issues, Rich, and how you facilitate the viewers’ own transformative and/or insightful experiences, versus simply communicate information from your brain to ours. For example, connecting the results of scientific “rules” with the emergence of planets, connecting Carrara marble with earth’s original eco-system, and connecting the development of stone tools with the emergence of narrative, aesthetics, and metaphor is heady, mind-bending stuff! One thing I will continue to contemplate is your comment that: “Van Gogh’s visions and dreams are connected to his ability to sequester electromagnetism from the universe—AND SO IS OURS.” (emphasis mine :-). So, not only is every THING on earth made of star stuff, but our own human PROCESSES are also?! Your interest in the personal and cultural transformative power of Big History totally resonates with me. I applaud your work connecting art and science with Big History and meaning. Also, I loved the bus ride!!

Invaluable! You have gotten to the heart of our work and challenge in this time. The fusion of art and science and meaning may well be the equivalent of discovering language itself. Your presentation collapsed time and space. Imposing the poetry and power of language from one century on the imagery of our digital world not only made deeper sense of each of the parts in a new way. It very well may shape the consciousness of the future species.
You have accomplished what I’ve been trying to do in an experience we provide at our retreat. In a labyrinth walk through the woodlands we have visual markers to denote significant moments of the universe story. But finding the right images to mark ‘the first cell or photosynthesis, etc. has not been satisfying. Why. Because all I could accomplish was a visual and scientific narrative ‘impoverished’ of meaning.

This was an excellent experience for me viewing A Big History of Art.. Thank you, Carol Kilby, Gaia Farmhouse Retreat, wwww.gaiafarmhouse.com

Great comments, Carol! I love your idea that the fusion of art and science may shape future consciousness.

I’ve been thinking more about this presentation/video and the direct connection, Rich, that you make between the ability of humans to dream and envision with electromagnetism from the Big Bang. (Am I understanding this correctly?) I have long understood that our own creative, self-transforming processes are—abstractly and metaphorically—connected with/reflective of the creative, self-transforming processes of the universe. Indeed, my Divine Sparks multimedia project is a metaphor for exactly that! However, I didn’t realize that these human processes—of dreaming and presumably creating too—are scientifically and physically connected to the cosmos. That adds a deeper level of understanding and meaning! For me, this is a fascinating example of how Big History can provide transformative learning.

Thanks a lot for adding these newsletters to the Resource Section Lowell.