Prepare to enter the Psychedelic wonderland of visionary Brazilian artist: @pinel.marcelo
It's no exaggeration to say Marcelo Pinel is one of the most exciting Psychedelic artists working today. His artworks are unlike anything we had ever seen before or since, and truly capture the essence of a mystical hallucinatory experience through his trademark method of 3D animated loops which instantly make you feel like you've taken the 'heroes dose'.
We have been huge fans of Marcelo's work for some years now, and we were excited to find out more about the man behind the multi-dimensional mind shattering esoteric art works.
Read on below for our full interview with visionary 3D artist Marcelo Pinel in which we discuss his origins, views on spirituality, psychedelics & more...
Where are you from and how has your environment sculpted your outlook on life ?
My name is Marcelo Pinel, also known on the internet as Cyber Mystic Garden, I am 33 years old and have the sign of Scorpio, I am a Brazilian artist focused mainly on digital art and 3D animations. I have a degree in Visual Arts from the Federal University of Minas Gerais and I also used to be an art teacher. Furthermore, I am married and the father of a girl. I've been passionate about all types of art since I was a child and I've always kept that flame burning. I love nature, the diverse cultures of the world, the diversity of religions, mythologies, spirituality, mysteries of the universe and I am always trying to address these subjects in my work.
When did you first start creating art and how long did it take you to develop your signature style?
Although I have always drawn, painted and modelled since I was a child, I started working with art professionally approximately a decade ago during Art college, and in my current art style 3 years ago, which features very colourful looped 3D animations with a theme spiritual, symbolic and visionary.
What does spirituality mean to you and how does it inform your artistic practice ?
Since my adolescence I have always been fascinated by spirituality, I have attended meetings of various beliefs in addition to studies and practices of various aspects, such as Theosophy, Gnosis, Vedic and Buddhist philosophy, Anthroposophy, Shamanism and Brazilian religions in cults with Ayahuasca among others. So I really believe that all esoteric lines and chains are like precious jewels in the necklace of divinity and that all people of all times have had access to divinity each in their own way. I believe in the universal symbolism of archetypes and I try to approach and evoke spiritual themes and symbols in my works, which arise from studies and even inspired by dreams.
What are the key ideas and themes that inspire you the most and why?
The main themes that inspire me are Alchemy, Mythology, Mysticism, magic, the search for elevated states of consciousness, symbology and emblems, archetypes, dreams, tarot, esotericism, occultism and any other theme that fascinates my inner child. I use my artistic production as a form of study and investigation of these themes, and I also believe that it is important to continue perpetuating these ancient symbols and archetypes in humanity.
Are there any artists / books that have had a strong impact on you?
It is difficult for me to list all the artists and books that had a strong impact, because there were so many. I think one of the most important literature I came across was by Jung, who perfectly links art, psychology, spirituality and dreams. I can see and live his teachings intensely in my work and in practically all art from all eras, as a symbol related to the human psyche in search of individuation or the Self. Another strong influence on my work are the alchemical emblems and images produced in Europe, showing the different stages of the alchemical transformation and transmutation process, evoking Egyptian, Greco-Roman, dreamlike references, etc.
What lights the flame of passion inside of you ?
I think what motivates me most is the fun and enjoyment of artistic production, from thematic and conceptual studies to the compositional and pictorial challenges when creating art, it is a very intense and introspective process that only those who create art can witness .I also like to create images that fascinate me as an art viewer, using animation technology to simulate a mysticism, magical atmosphere and visions and revelations accessed in trances or heightened states of consciousness.
How was the name Cyber Mystic Garden born?
The name Cyber Mystic Garden came up one day when an artist told me that my arts were Cyber Mystic and I loved it, I love things that appear spontaneously. The word garden came together because I have been fascinated with plants and cultivation for many years, I love taking care of vegetable gardens, flowers, in short, any type of plant and I see a strong relationship between cultivating a garden and the artistic process, it is as if I had to do the daily work of watering, pruning and various other processes to admire the flowers and harvest the fruits. So Cyber Mystic Garden is my digital arts garden. A phrase I love to describe my work is: Welcome to my inner child's Cyber Mystic Garden!
How was 2023 for you and how do you feel now moving into the future?
The last year for me was a year of a lot of work and commissions. I started a series on zodiac signs with a thematic work for each sign, made and released during each one's respective season, and I'm having a lot of fun with it. Furthermore, it is a bit of a moment due to some turbulent issues and news in Brazil, as well as the recent wars at the international level that affect me a lot, but I am looking for focus, introspection, being inspired by great master artists who managed to do sublime work. and even abstracts in moments of great wars, such as Paul Klee, Kandinsky, among others from the avant-garde movements of modernity.
Personally, I worry a lot about climate crises. I despair a little when thinking about which direction we are going, but I try to do my part and live one day at a time. I have a lot of work to do; many ideas written down, many studies and topics to be addressed, so I try to be patient and have hope, even if the world gives us worrying signs.
Have Psychedelics inspired your work in any way?
This is a question that many ask me, the answer is actually not directly. I've used several psychedelics, including Ayahuasca, which I consider the greatest psychedelic. But there are many things before, it was before I did my work. I think psychedelics expand consciousness and show spiritual and elevated realities, and I think my work is about that too. About expansion of consciousness, elevated, visionary and mystical states. However, I make them based on a lot of reading, studying symbolism, and spiritual traditions from various cultures.
I study colors a lot, color theory, chromatic palettes of various peoples and try to simulate a magical charm, as well as intuition and pictorial expression. So currently what most influences my work are practices such as meditation, breathing, energy and chakra exercises, remembering and studying dreams and astral projection, among others. They are all different ways of seeking and experiencing elevated and mystical states.
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You can discover more of Marcelo Pinel's work via: linktr.ee/pinel.marcelo
- ASTRAL MAGAZINE