Paul Laffoley Cambridge, MA, 1935-2015
Thanaton III, 1989
Oil, acrylic, ink, and vinyl press type on canvas and wood
73 ½ x 73 ½ in.
187 x 187 cm
187 x 187 cm
Subject_ The Third Visitation of Quazgaa Klaatu. Symbol Evocation_ The Earth-Mother as a Tower of Tortoises Supporting the World. Comments_ On December 31, 1988, at 10_37 p.m., while giving a...
Subject_ The Third Visitation of Quazgaa Klaatu.
Symbol Evocation_ The Earth-Mother as a Tower of Tortoises Supporting the World.
Comments_
On December 31, 1988, at 10_37 p.m., while giving a talk on the sidewalk outside 500 Boylston Street in Boston, I was visited by the alien Quazgaa Klaatu, who manifested as body of light. In a photograph taken by Steve Moskowitz, who was attending the New Year’s Eve event, a bright nimbus covers my entire body and my seven chakras. This was the third visitation of Quazgaa Klaatu. The first was on September 13, 1951, in Los Angeles; the second was on January 25, 1967, in South Ashburnham, Massachusetts. In both earlier arrivals, Quazgaa Klaatu appeared in a humanoid mode, as a one-meter-high reptilian-featured hermaphrodite who communicated telepathically.
On its third arrival, Quazgaa Klaatu communicated with me by making direct contact with my chakra system. I was left with the knowledge of how to 1) link life to death in a continuous experience; 2) utilize the resulting thanatonic energy to travel faster than the speed of light, turn matter into consciousness and back again, alter evolution at will, and exist simultaneously at every moment of time; and 3) move the entire universe into the fifth dimensional realm and say when in history it is possible for this to happen.
I also received other information that I could not understand. Since this information was given to me directly but not for me per se, it must be communicated to others who may be better prepared than I to receive it, which is why I was also shown how to make this painting. The Thanaton III is a psychotronic—or mind-matter interactive—device. It is activated by approaching the painting, stretching out your arms, touching the upright hands, and staring into the eye. When you do this, new information will come to you through the active use of the divine proportion, which is the proportion of life connecting to death.
Symbol Evocation_ The Earth-Mother as a Tower of Tortoises Supporting the World.
Comments_
On December 31, 1988, at 10_37 p.m., while giving a talk on the sidewalk outside 500 Boylston Street in Boston, I was visited by the alien Quazgaa Klaatu, who manifested as body of light. In a photograph taken by Steve Moskowitz, who was attending the New Year’s Eve event, a bright nimbus covers my entire body and my seven chakras. This was the third visitation of Quazgaa Klaatu. The first was on September 13, 1951, in Los Angeles; the second was on January 25, 1967, in South Ashburnham, Massachusetts. In both earlier arrivals, Quazgaa Klaatu appeared in a humanoid mode, as a one-meter-high reptilian-featured hermaphrodite who communicated telepathically.
On its third arrival, Quazgaa Klaatu communicated with me by making direct contact with my chakra system. I was left with the knowledge of how to 1) link life to death in a continuous experience; 2) utilize the resulting thanatonic energy to travel faster than the speed of light, turn matter into consciousness and back again, alter evolution at will, and exist simultaneously at every moment of time; and 3) move the entire universe into the fifth dimensional realm and say when in history it is possible for this to happen.
I also received other information that I could not understand. Since this information was given to me directly but not for me per se, it must be communicated to others who may be better prepared than I to receive it, which is why I was also shown how to make this painting. The Thanaton III is a psychotronic—or mind-matter interactive—device. It is activated by approaching the painting, stretching out your arms, touching the upright hands, and staring into the eye. When you do this, new information will come to you through the active use of the divine proportion, which is the proportion of life connecting to death.
Exhibitions
Paul Laffoley_ Structured Singularities. Kent Gallery, New York 1989The Open Studios at the Space Program. Marie Walsh Sharpe Art Foundation, New York, 1992
Human Evolution and Extra-Terrestrial Intervention and the Arts. Massachusetts College of Art, Boston, 1996
Architectonic Thought-Forms_ A Survey of the Art of Paul Laffoley. Austin Museum of Art and Design, Austin, Texas, 1999. Curated by Elizabeth Ferrer.
Chasing Napoleon. Palais de Tokyo, Paris, 2009. Curated by Marc-Olivier Wahler.
The Alternative Guide to the Universe. Hayward Gallery, London, 2013. Curated by Ralph Rugoff.
Outer Space. Kunst- und Ausstellungshalle der Bundesrepublik Deutschland, Bonn, Germany, 2015. Curated by Claudia Dichter, Stephan Andreae
Supernatural America_ The Paranormal in American Art
Toledo Museum of Art, May 3 – October 1, 2021
Minneapolis Institute of Art, January 10 – June 15, 2022
Literature
Alderwick, William. “Beyond the Kitsch Barrier_ An Exploration of the Bauharoque.” Under/Current (September 2008)_ 89.Cattelan, Maurizio, Massimiliano Gioni, and Ali Subotnick, eds. Charley 05 (Autumn 2007)_ ill. (color).
Frank, Joey. “Paul Laffoley_ Organizing Providence.” Intercourse (Winter 2015)_ 152, ill. (color).
Frelik, Pawel. “Paul Laffoley_ Architekt form myślowych.” Trans-wizje no. 1 (Fall 2011)_ 20, ill. (color).
Kittelman, Udo, and Claudia Dichter, eds. Paul Laffoley_ Secret Universe. Cologne_ Walter König, 2011, pp. 13, 20.
Kostelanetz, Richard. A Dictionary of the Avant-Gardes. New York and London_ Routledge, 2001, p. 358.
Laffoley, Paul. Architectonic Thought-Forms_ Gedankenexeriemente in Zombie Aesthetics. Austin, Texas_ Austin Museum of Art, 1999, front cover, pp. 64 - 65, ill. Plate no. 14.
Laffoley, Paul. The Phenomenology of Revelation. Edited by Jeanne Marie Wasilik. New York_ Kent Fine Art, 1989, pp. 86–87, ill. p. 110.
Laffoley, Paul. “The Phenomenology of Revelation” and “Thanaton III.” Interview by Richard Metzger, Disinformation_ The Complete Series. DVD Video. New York_ Disinformation Company, 2002. Originally broadcast on Channel 4 TV, United Kingdom, 26 January 2001.
Laffoley, Paul. “Paul Laffoley_ Thanaton III.” Interview by Richard Metzger. In Disinformation_ The Interviews. New York_ Disinformation Company, 2002, ill. pp. 143–42.
Laffoley, Paul. “Memento Mori_ Remember You Must Die.” In Book of Lies_ The Disinformation guide to Magik and the Occult, ed. Richard Metzger. New York_ Disinformation Company, 2003, ill. p. 37.
Laffoley, Paul. “Architecture of Utopia.” Palais / Magazine 10 (Fall 2009)_ 58, ill.
Lequeux, Emmanuell, Isabelle de Wavrin, Judicaël Lavrador and Stéphanie Moisdon. “De l’art brut à la visite de Mars_ Les artistes de la 5e dimension.” Beaux Arts, no. 306 (December 2009)_ 85, ill.
McCormick, Carlo. “Paul Laffoley_ Post-Modern Alchemy.” Juxtapoz (January–February 2000)_ 61-65, ill. p. 60-61 (color).
“Paul Laffoley at the Austin Museum of Art—Downtown.” Gallery Guide Southwest (December 1999)_ front cover, ill.
“The Millennium Shows_ November 20, 1999 – January 30, 2000_ Paul Laffoley and Eve Andrée Laramée.” Austin Museum of Art Quarterly (AMOAQ) no. 5 (Winter 1999)_ n.p., ill.
Roulet, Sacha. “Paul Laffoley.” idPure, no. 11 (2007)_ 11, ill.
Rugoff, Ralph, and Michael Bracewell, eds. The Alternative Guide to the Universe. “Paul Laffoley” Hayward Publishing, London, 2013, pp. 46 – 53, ill. p. 49 (color).
Under/current Magazine, no. 1 (September 2008)_ 90, 92–93, ill.
Wahler, Mark-Olivier, Mark Alizart, and Frédéric Grossi. Palais de Tokyo / 2009 A-Z_ From Yodeling to Quantum Physics, vol. 3. Paris_ Palais de Tokyo, 2009, pp. 31, 33, Image #29, ill.
Howe, Rupert. “Master of the Universe.” Wonderland Magazine, no. 18, April–May, p. 111, ill.
Van Ryzi, Jeanne Claire. “Paul Laffoley.” Austin American-Statesman (9-15 December 1999)_ 30, ill.
Yau, John. “Paul Laffoley_ Speculations in Mind-Physics, Work in the Visionary Genre.” Grand Street 60 (Paranoia issue, 1997)_ 201, ill.
Walla, Douglas, Linda Dalywimple Henderson, Steve Moscowitz, and Ariel Saiber. The Essential Paul Laffoley. Chicago_ University of Chicago Press, 2015. illus in color plate 60