Monica Sjöö
Encyclopedia
Monica Sjöö, was a Swedish
painter, writer and a radical anarcho/eco-feminist who was influential in the Goddess movement
. She first came to Britain
in the late 1950th and eventually settled in Bristol where she lived for many years, before she died of cancer
.
Sjöö was an artist, a writer, and one of the early visionaries of the Goddess movement. Her 1987 book The Great Cosmic Mother (co-authored with Barbara Mor) helped revive what she considered the "hidden history" of the Goddess, and her paintings transformed ancient images and symbols into contemporary icons of female power.
Sjöö's work and beliefs centered around her respect and care of the Goddess
, or Mother Earth. The Goddess was "the beauty of the green earth, the life-giving waters, the consuming fires, the radiant moon, and the fiery sun". Sjöö's respect for nature and the environment was not mere belief but, for her, a spiritual truth. The Goddess / Earth is to be respected as the life giver. This respect is to be found not only in her imagery, but in two texts which chronicle her journey through the written word.
Sjöö used imagery in her paintings which often makes reference to birth, the female body, and nature. All of these images were central to her beliefs regarding her "Cosmic Mother". She described herself as among the pioneers in this movement of reclaiming female divinity - along with many other writers, artists, poets, and thinkers.
In her art, she attempted to "holistically express" her growing religious belief in the Great Mother
as the cosmic spirit and generative force in the universe. This was a critical component of her artwork. She claimed to enter a "state" of being or of mind where knowledge was available from past, present, and future. Yet, these abstract beliefs were grounded with a firm foundation of action and activism. She was involved with the anarchist
and anti-Vietnam War
movements in Sweden
in the 1960s and was active in the women's movement
in Britain. Her political activism always grew out of her spiritual understanding of the earth as our living mother, similar to the beliefs of some Native American
peoples.
Sjöö's most famous painting, God Giving Birth, (1968) depicts a woman giving birth. It is an expression of Sjöö's spiritual journey at that time and represents her perception of the Great Mother
as the universal creator of cosmic life. The painting and its concept created much controversy and God giving birth was censured on several occasions.
Margaret Harrison (1977) states that [on one occasion in 1970 several of Sjöö's paintings were banned from being shown in St. Ives during the St. Ives festival]. (...) ″Monica then wrote in Socialist Woman (Nottingham) proposing forming a group or alliance of women artists. This led to the formation of the Bristol Women’s Art Group.″ (...)
Monica Sjöö lost two of her sons in very traumatic ways. Her youngest son was killed in front of her by an oncoming car at age 15. Her eldest son died of cancer, which she claimed was exacerbated by his experiences of rebirthing
.
Sjöö was highly critical of many of the ideas and personages of the New Age
movement, including Alice Bailey
, J. Z. Knight and "Ramtha", and Gene Roddenberry
for some of the ideas behind Star Trek
.
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
painter, writer and a radical anarcho/eco-feminist who was influential in the Goddess movement
Goddess movement
The Goddess movement is an overall trend in religious or spiritual beliefs or practices which emerged out of second-wave feminism, predominantly in North America, Western Europe, Australia and New Zealand in the 1970s...
. She first came to Britain
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
in the late 1950th and eventually settled in Bristol where she lived for many years, before she died of cancer
Cancer
Cancer , known medically as a malignant neoplasm, is a large group of different diseases, all involving unregulated cell growth. In cancer, cells divide and grow uncontrollably, forming malignant tumors, and invade nearby parts of the body. The cancer may also spread to more distant parts of the...
.
Sjöö was an artist, a writer, and one of the early visionaries of the Goddess movement. Her 1987 book The Great Cosmic Mother (co-authored with Barbara Mor) helped revive what she considered the "hidden history" of the Goddess, and her paintings transformed ancient images and symbols into contemporary icons of female power.
Sjöö's work and beliefs centered around her respect and care of the Goddess
Goddess movement
The Goddess movement is an overall trend in religious or spiritual beliefs or practices which emerged out of second-wave feminism, predominantly in North America, Western Europe, Australia and New Zealand in the 1970s...
, or Mother Earth. The Goddess was "the beauty of the green earth, the life-giving waters, the consuming fires, the radiant moon, and the fiery sun". Sjöö's respect for nature and the environment was not mere belief but, for her, a spiritual truth. The Goddess / Earth is to be respected as the life giver. This respect is to be found not only in her imagery, but in two texts which chronicle her journey through the written word.
Sjöö used imagery in her paintings which often makes reference to birth, the female body, and nature. All of these images were central to her beliefs regarding her "Cosmic Mother". She described herself as among the pioneers in this movement of reclaiming female divinity - along with many other writers, artists, poets, and thinkers.
In her art, she attempted to "holistically express" her growing religious belief in the Great Mother
Mother goddess
Mother goddess is a term used to refer to a goddess who represents motherhood, fertility, creation or embodies the bounty of the Earth. When equated with the Earth or the natural world such goddesses are sometimes referred to as Mother Earth or as the Earth Mother.Many different goddesses have...
as the cosmic spirit and generative force in the universe. This was a critical component of her artwork. She claimed to enter a "state" of being or of mind where knowledge was available from past, present, and future. Yet, these abstract beliefs were grounded with a firm foundation of action and activism. She was involved with the anarchist
Anarchism
Anarchism is generally defined as the political philosophy which holds the state to be undesirable, unnecessary, and harmful, or alternatively as opposing authority in the conduct of human relations...
and anti-Vietnam War
Opposition to the Vietnam War
The movement against US involvment in the in Vietnam War began in the United States with demonstrations in 1964 and grew in strength in later years. The US became polarized between those who advocated continued involvement in Vietnam, and those who wanted peace. Peace movements consisted largely of...
movements in Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
in the 1960s and was active in the women's movement
Feminist movement
The feminist movement refers to a series of campaigns for reforms on issues such as reproductive rights, domestic violence, maternity leave, equal pay, women's suffrage, sexual harassment and sexual violence...
in Britain. Her political activism always grew out of her spiritual understanding of the earth as our living mother, similar to the beliefs of some Native American
Indigenous peoples of the Americas
The indigenous peoples of the Americas are the pre-Columbian inhabitants of North and South America, their descendants and other ethnic groups who are identified with those peoples. Indigenous peoples are known in Canada as Aboriginal peoples, and in the United States as Native Americans...
peoples.
Sjöö's most famous painting, God Giving Birth, (1968) depicts a woman giving birth. It is an expression of Sjöö's spiritual journey at that time and represents her perception of the Great Mother
Great Mother
The Great Mother refers to the concept of the mother goddess, including:*Great Mother, in the Mahayana and Vajrayana refers to Prajnaparamita, and the wisdom of the Madhyamaka...
as the universal creator of cosmic life. The painting and its concept created much controversy and God giving birth was censured on several occasions.
Margaret Harrison (1977) states that [on one occasion in 1970 several of Sjöö's paintings were banned from being shown in St. Ives during the St. Ives festival]. (...) ″Monica then wrote in Socialist Woman (Nottingham) proposing forming a group or alliance of women artists. This led to the formation of the Bristol Women’s Art Group.″ (...)
Monica Sjöö lost two of her sons in very traumatic ways. Her youngest son was killed in front of her by an oncoming car at age 15. Her eldest son died of cancer, which she claimed was exacerbated by his experiences of rebirthing
Rebirthing-Breathwork
Rebirthing-breathwork is a breathing technique that claims to heal suppressed emotions such as anger, fear, sadness, etc. It shares a common belief with various other therapies called rebirthing, with both groups believing that human birth is a traumatic event and that reviewing or revisiting this...
.
Sjöö was highly critical of many of the ideas and personages of the New Age
New Age
The New Age movement is a Western spiritual movement that developed in the second half of the 20th century. Its central precepts have been described as "drawing on both Eastern and Western spiritual and metaphysical traditions and then infusing them with influences from self-help and motivational...
movement, including Alice Bailey
Alice Bailey
Alice Ann Bailey , known as Alice A. Bailey or AAB to her followers, was an influential writer and theosophist in what she termed "Ageless Wisdom". This included occult teachings, "esoteric" psychology and healing, astrological and other philosophic and religious themes...
, J. Z. Knight and "Ramtha", and Gene Roddenberry
Gene Roddenberry
Eugene Wesley "Gene" Roddenberry was an American television screenwriter, producer and futurist, best known for creating the American science fiction series Star Trek. Born in El Paso, Texas, Roddenberry grew up in Los Angeles, California where his father worked as a police officer...
for some of the ideas behind Star Trek
Star Trek
Star Trek is an American science fiction entertainment franchise created by Gene Roddenberry. The core of Star Trek is its six television series: The Original Series, The Animated Series, The Next Generation, Deep Space Nine, Voyager, and Enterprise...
.
External links
- Monica Sjöö tribute site maintained by family and friends, with a large art gallery and many writings.
- Monica Sjöö artwork and articles
- "Monica Sjoo", obituary in The GuardianThe GuardianThe Guardian, formerly known as The Manchester Guardian , is a British national daily newspaper in the Berliner format...
, Pat VT West, September 23, 2005. Retrieved 2007-08-22.