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Caligomos Art, also known as C’ ART, is a contemporary integrative art philosophy founded by Canadian-Korean artist and theorist John HR Woo. It combines spiritual inquiry, aesthetic theory, and cultural synthesis to explore the human condition through the creative triad of Transcendence, Paradigm, and Reality. The term “Caligomos” derives from caliginosity (Latin: caliginosus, meaning dim or obscure) and kosmos (Greek: κόσμος, referring to the ordered totality of existence), unified by the intermediary principle of metaxy—the "in-between" space emphasized in the works of Plato, Eric Voegelin, and Simone Weil.[1]

Developed through the book The Book of Caligomos Art[2] (2025), and promoted by the WOO ART Studio & Gallery in Gananoque, Ontario, Caligomos Art, and published book-amazon seeks to bridge philosophical traditions and artistic expressions with an emphasis on simplicity, timelessness, and accessibility. The movement is often associated with Integral Art, Metamodernism, and cosmological aesthetics.[3]

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Philosophy

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Caligomos Art is structured upon three Grand Categories:

  • Transcendence: The metaphysical and spiritual realm; visionary ideals and inner elevation.
  • Paradigm: The intellectual and structural domain; the design of frameworks, logic, and systemic coherence.
  • Reality: The concrete and lived world; practical experience, materiality, and cultural embodiment.

These categories dynamically interact through what Woo calls Metaxological Creation, in which paradox, intermediacy, and synthesis generate philosophical and aesthetic depth.

Manifestos of Caligomos Art

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The practice of Caligomos Art is guided by four central Manifestos. There are additional information on 'wooart-about', 'wooart-home' and 'discover-leeds.' These principles function both as foundations for artistic creation and criteria for aesthetic evaluation:

Spiritual Enlightenment

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Aesthetic Elevation and Inner Challenges Rooted in Transcendence, this manifesto emphasizes the sacred, symbolic, and visionary. Art becomes a path to awakening—exploring mystery, metaphysical depth, and the numinous. “To transcend is to risk the darkness to find the higher light.”

Dynamic Reconciliation

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Aesthetic Harmony and Complexity Situated between Transcendence and Paradigm, this manifesto focuses on the reconciliation of opposites. It celebrates duality, polarity, and synthesis—encouraging balance between chaos and order, emotion and intellect, realism and abstraction. “In the between, the dance of difference births a new harmony.”

Holistic Creation

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Integration and Over-Inclusiveness Rooted in Paradigm, this manifesto frames art as systemic and integrative. It supports interdisciplinary design, aesthetic structure, and unification of logic, form, and imagination. “To create is to compose the cosmos anew, with order and imagination in resonance.”

Global Interdependence

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Universality and Local Specificity Grounded in Reality, this manifesto focuses on ecological, ethical, and global engagement. Art is viewed as socially embedded and responsive—cultivating community, sustainability, and planetary empathy. “To make art is to echo the One in the Many, and the Many in the One.”

Studio and Exhibitions

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The WOO ART Studio & Gallery, located in Gananoque, Ontario, is the center for Caligomos Art exhibitions, publications, and workshops.[5] Notable events include:

  • Dreams of Caligomos (2024): A visual exploration of symbolic forms, metaphysical space, and creative dreamscapes.
  • The Traverse of Caligomos (2025): A major group exhibition and book signing event for the release of The Book of Caligomos Art.

Publications

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  • Woo, John HR. The Book of Caligomos Art: An Integral Theory for Creative World Vision. Amazon KDP, 2025. ISBN 979-8-987654321-0.

See also

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References

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