Illuminatus by Robert Venosa & Terence McKenna: A personal Retrospective
I was looking through Illuminatus, the magnificent book by Robert Venosa and Terence McKenna; due to my travels these last years it has been a long time since I’ve held it in my hands. It is one of my treasures, an elegantly finished book filled with exquisite paintings from Robert accompanied by the enchanting prose of Terence. Originally published in 2000, the book is no longer in print which is a great shame as it is a bringer of beauty into the world. Checking the book availability on amazon.com the prices for used copies range up to $400.
Robert and Terence are regretfully no longer with us on the earthly plane; they have been inspirational powerhouses and beacons of illumination to thousands of people. Hopefully this magical book will be reprinted; so many more people can enjoy and explore the brilliant and sublime worlds of the divine imagination that this wonderful book offers.
From the inside book flap of Illuminatus
Robert Venosa creates mythical mindscapes that fascinate and illuminate. His tableaux are windows into timeless vistas of the inner realities.
Timothy Leary
If the most exciting artmaking one can hope to encounter is an exploration of the furthest reaches of the imagination, then Robert Venosa must surely rank among the luminaries of our era. His unique approach to visionary art is nothing less than a fascinating exploration of mysterious realms of being. His art transports us to an archetypal domain inhabited by spirits, gods and elementals – a cosmic realm which lives on in the language of our dreams.
Robert Venosa’s extraordinary paintings evoke the astral imagery of inner space and lead us towards the liberation of the spirit. His crystalline goddesses, surreal light-filled landscapes and liquid skies resonate with our yearning for dreams, visions and sacred knowledge. To an extent his world is also a world of mysteries and secrets – but we always have the sense that in some elusive way the artist is sharing these secrets with us, even if we are unable to fully grasp the portents he is presenting. Robert Venosa’s imagery literally enfolds us with its magical powers.
Illuminatus is Robert Venosa’s most impressive book so far – a far reaching sequel to his earlier visionary collections Manas Manna and Noospheres. Those familiar with his work, as well as those exploring it for the first time, will find his visionary art exciting and inspirational – a mythology for our times.
NEVILL DRURY
FOREWORD AND TEXT BY TERENCE McKENNA
ESSAYS BY ERNST FUCHS, H.R. GIGER AND MATI KLARWEIN
A review of the book appeared in MAPS Bulletin Volume X number 3 in 2000, reviewed by Richard T. Carey
You can view some of Robert’s work on the web at;
THE SOCIETY FOR THE ART OF THE IMAGINATION
On a concluding note, Robert was very generous with his time, and I felt honoured that he gave a personal and insightful contribution to the book I co-authored ‘The Ayahuasca Visions of Pablo Amaringo’. Robert’s contribution follows;