“Get Yourself a Fire Body”

Intersections of Clairvoyance, Mediumship and Gender in Early-Twentieth-Century Art

Authors

• Nina Kokkinen The Donner Institute https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4030-2199

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.30664/ar.162846

Keywords:

Mediumistic art, occultism, clairvoyance, gender, embodied practices

Abstract

This article explores the intersections of clairvoyance, mediumship and gender in early-twentieth-century art through the case of the Finnish artist and occultist Meri Genetz (1885–1943). While esotericism has played a pivotal role in modern art, visionary and mediumistic practices are still often seen as marginal phenomena within mainstream art history. This article traces Meri Genetz’s spiritual journey from the 1920s to the 1930s by analysing her archival material and art—-especially self-portraits. In doing so, it underscores various factors that have contributed to the marginalisation of mediumistic and visionary art. The article posits that conceptual ambiguities, discursive demarcations and gender bias have all contributed to this marginalisation. More-over, the significance of bodily and artistic practices is emphasised. Genetz’s case demonstrates that even a profound engagement with occultism does not necessarily manifest in an easily identifiable way in the artworks. Consequently, archival research and familiarity with prevailing esoteric discourses (i.e. occulture) are instrumental in identifying mediumistic and visionary phenomena. By situating Genetz within her own historical context and esoteric discourses, the study challenges the male-orientated narratives of modern art and highlights the need to reassess mediumistic and visionary phenomena as a vital part of twentieth-century art.