Mirror of the Divine

the long version

This book is based on an examination of over 200 passages from the Baha'i Writings with a bearing on the arts (many of which are not found in Baha'i compilations on the arts). Mirror of the Divine derives from the Baha'i teachings an overall outlook on the spiritual nature of the arts in part I, and in part II proposes practical solutions to the challenges facing artists who adopt a spiritual perspective. The outlook the book attempts to apply is neither Eastern nor Western but world-embracing. Examples are given from cultures around the world, including over 100 illustrations. The following are only a few of the questions to which Mirror of the Divine offers answers: • What is the nature of the spiritual role the arts can play in a new era? • In what ways can the arts contribute to the well-being of humanity? • Should creative work done in the crafts be regarded on an equal footing with work done in the “fine arts”? • How can artists find a balance between tradition and innovation? • When translating inspiration into a finished piece, what resources and choices does a spiritually-oriented artist have? What are the hidden dynamics at work? The only book of its kind in Bahá’í literature, it is a product of many years of research undertaken by author Ludwig Tuman. Some of the arts referenced in Mirror of the Divine (in alphabetical order): Architecture ~ Beadwork ~ Calligraphy ~ Ceramics ~ Clothing design ~ Dance ~ Embroidery ~ Environmental design ~ Film ~ Floral design ~ Garden & Landscape design ~ Industrial design ~ Interior design ~ Jewelry ~ Literature ~ Metalwork ~ Music ~ Origami ~ Painting ~ Photography ~ Poetry ~ Pottery ~ Puppetry ~ Rug-weaving ~ Sandpainting ~ Sculpture ~ Stained glass-setting ~ Stonework ~ Story-telling ~ Tapestry ~ Theater ~ Urban design ~ Wall mosaics ~ Woodcraft Includes extensive notes, bibliographical references, and three indexes: an Index of Quotations from the Baha'i Writings, an Index of Arts, and a General Index.