"Ankh" by Jim Berenholtz copyright 2002

Jim Berenholtz
Painter

The paintings of Jim Berenholtz place him clearly in the realm of contemporary visionary arts, while at the same time reflecting his interest in ancient iconography and symbolism. These works are structured according to the universal principles of the mandala, and of temple art found at sacred sites throughout the world. Jim's art has been published in numerous cultural and metaphysical journals, in the album art of his music CD's, and in his first book, “Journey to the Four Directions” (Bear & Co., 1993). He has also exhibited his paintings at a number of galleries in Santa Fe and Taos, New Mexico.

Recent Exhibitions:

RA - Balisk

The Temple of the New Sun

November 2009 Artist in Residence project
at the de Young Museum of Art
Golden Gate Park, San Francisco

Jim Berenholtz, a November Artist in Residence at the de Young Museum, recently collaborated with fellow artist Gregangelo Herrera to create a solar temple titled "RA-Balisk" in the Kimball Gallery of the museum. Visitors were encouraged to explore the mysterious inner sanctum of this temple with archetypal wall paintings, three dimensional altars, photographic projections and dazzling special effects integrated into the interactive installations. The temple art was based primarily on ancient Egyptian icons, motifs, and symbols and also incorporated influences from other solar worshipping, pyramid building civilizations, such as those of ancient Mexico and Central America. Traditional iconography was interpreted with a contemporary sensibility, making 'Ra-Balisk" not an ethnographic documentation of something that might have existed in the distant past, but rather a vibrant, living, sacred space bringing the ancient artistic spirit forward to the present and into the future.