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Paris Drawings & Notebooks, 1962-63 In the late summer of 1963, Roman took up residence at the Centre Internationale Catholique, Cité Universitaire, Paris, where he maintained a modest studio in the church basement. Here he was introduced to an innovative spiritual community lead by Pére Rogues. This environment complemented his interest in automatic drawing as a procedure for investigating states of consciousness and spiritual experience. He also followed courses at the Louvre, worked at printmaking with Stanley William Hayter at Atelier 17, and made several pilgrimages to medieval monastic sites in central and southern France. left:
Sanctuary, Thoronet Abbey, 12th Century (Southern France). Travel to
medieval monastic sites and opportunities to view illuminated
manuscripts resonated with Roman's search for spiritual
enrichment. (Photo from L'art Cistercian, Zodiaque,
1962) |
Cover, private notebook of "experience" states.(81 kb)
Paris, 1962-63. 9.75" by 6.75".
Crayon, ink, cloth, paint. Notebook includesParis Notebook, 1962 (187 kb)
Crayon and pencil Drawing ( 15” by 13”)In his church basement studio, referred to as "the cave", he executed numerous drawings and paintings. Through expressive gestural drawing he pursued visual manifestations of inner experience that transcended rational observation. For many of these "automatic" works he maintained a private notebook of "experience states" related to their execution. This notebook allowed him to refer back to states of consciousness related to specific drawings. Other notebooks included drawings accompanied occasionally with "experience" texts.
Cave Drawing, 1962 (186 kb)
Brush & ink on paper (23" by 29")Cave Drawing, 1962 (82 kb)
Brush & ink on paper (23" by 29")Cave Drawing 15, 1962 (143 kb)
Brush & ink on paper (23" by 29")
Paris exhibition statement, 1963 < Back: Monastic period menu | Main menu | Search | Contact | Copyright
