Of Shadows (2016) is more of what I think of when I see the words “occult art.” It’s a collaboration between photographer Sara Hannant and Simon Costin, director of the Museum of Witchcraft and Magic. The book presents photographs of 100 items from the museum’s collection, accompanied by text that gives a glimpse of a variety of historical magickal practices and folk traditions, but also the history of the museum as well as its founder, Cecil Williamson. It’s a fascinating, welcoming primer.
Many of these items are handmade and nearly all saw use. Most of the tools of the trade are here — pendulums, wands, crystal balls. A surprising number of objects are the magic, talismans for good luck (the people of Britain seem compelled to stick things in their chimneys or brick them up in their walls) or cursed objects meant to bring harm (these are almost always unsettling in a way that is unburdened by horror film conventions, like that horrible jealousy shoe). There are commercial items, but they’re few and far between and see their nature reconfigured in their new context (I love the inclusion of Bratzillaz House of Witchez dolls as a one of a handful of representatives of modern attitudes towards witches).
Hannant’s photography is dark and rich. Shot uniformly on black, the moody lighting seems to capture the secret heart of the items, even if it obscures some of the details. In this way, it is very literally occult art. The overall effect is heightening, or perhaps a shaking off of the mundane — as it often the case with objects that were handled and used over many years, they seem imbued with a quiet power. Whether or not that power is magickal is, I suppose, up to the viewer.
