I have been interested in freemasonry ever since I saw National Treasure. I since learned that my grandfather was a mason. This really sent my imagination spiraling. Everyone knows it’s a secret organization and there has been talk about horrific rituals that are involved in this secret brotherhood: “A number of key Masonic authors suggest that corruption has been woven into the Order since its inception and is present among the vast array of loosely related variations of the basic Craft degrees” (Lynn 102). It is so talked about now and I feel we all assume well known people in today’s society are members. One reason I believe this is probably due to Dan Brown’s latest novel, The Lost Symbol. (I highly recommend it).
I think that freemasonry within Barney’s Cremaster Cycle is irrelevant, because it’s one mans artwork that may or may not contain Masonic symbols. It may be interesting to see, just like it is interesting to read about in Dan Brown’s fictional novel. There is no way of knowing for sure if anything we believe of the brotherhood is indeed true. Therefore I think it is a moot point to discuss it in art.
I personally think that knowing the symbolism in the Cremaster Cycle is necessary. It helps us to distinguish what Barney is referring to in his movies. Therefore i disagree with "freemasonry within Barney’s Cremaster Cycle is irrelevant" because not knowing what Barney is talking about in the movie can be confusing maybe.
ReplyDeleteThe quantity and specificity of the references to Freemasonry in the Cremaster Cycle suggest that Matthew Barney was intentionally trying to involve Freemasonry or at least its ritualistic nature in the series of films. Therefore, I would not say that "Freemasonry within Barney's Cremaster Cycle is irrelevant," at least not to the artist. However, in a way I still agree with Sydney because Barney takes the rituals and instills in them his own aesthetic and narrative goals. As Sydney points out, the secrecy of Freemasonry makes it hard to point out which scenes in the film would be specific indictments. The viewer is left to appreciate the references for their role within the piece itself.
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