Folklore Rising: An Artist's Journey Through the British Ritual Year by Edge, Ben

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Occult Philosophy

Folklore Rising: An Artist's Journey Through the British Ritual Year

Name: Folklore Rising: An Artist's Journey Through the British Ritual Year
Price: 30.00 USD
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Rating: 4.6 (2 reviews)
Author: Edge, Ben
ISBN: 9781786788740

Edge, Ben

Reader rating

4.6

(1 reviews) 109 sold

$30.00

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📚 ABOUT THE BOOK

Journey into Britain's ancient soul through vibrant art and living folklore.

Ben Edge, a celebrated artist, takes us on an intimate odyssey through the vibrant and sometimes peculiar folk customs still thriving across Britain. This compelling volume showcases over 200 of his unique artworks and photographs, interwoven with personal narratives and local legends. Edge candidly shares how immersing himself in these traditions aided his recovery from depression, introducing his concept of "folklore activism" – the idea that a resurgence of interest in these practices offers new ways to envision our collective future. It's a profound artistic and personal exploration of cultural heritage.

Key themes

Artistic Folkloric Immersion Healing Through Heritage Activism in Tradition

Historical context

This work sits at the intersection of contemporary British folk revivalism and personal memoir, reflecting a modern resurgence in engaging with ancient rural traditions. It contributes to the ongoing dialogue between esoteric practice and mental health awareness within the English-language occult sphere.

Difficulty

● Easy

Fans will love it

Robin Jarvis's atmospheric folklore explorations · Phil Hine's pragmatic magical approaches · Sara Maitland's deep dives into British rural mysticism · Robert Graves' The White Goddess

🕯️ Occult Philosophy

🏛 Watkins Publishing 📅 2024 📖 300 pages 📔 Hardcover 📐 Hardcover ISBN: 9781786788740

Fun fact

Ben Edge's 'Folklore Rising' is a captivating fusion of raw artistic vision, intimate memoir, and vibrant cultural ethnography. It excels at making ancient traditions feel vital and relevant, offering a deeply personal window into their power. While it might not satisfy those seeking a purely detached academic survey, it brilliantly serves readers hungry for a heartfelt, visually stunning journey into British folk customs and their surprising capacity for personal and collective renewal. A significant contribution to the contemporary folk art movement, it beautifully bridges the ancient with the urgently modern.

📝 Description: Folklore Rising: An Artist's Journey Through the British Ritual Year

Ben Edge is a rising star of both the art world and the current folk renaissance. This first trade book of Edge's art, featuring over 200 artworks, is a unique insight into his creative process as well as the first mainstream book to explore the amazing and wildly popular folk customs of the British ritual year. 'In his deeply squirrelly, edgy, almost mystic paintings, Ben Edge tries to ask where we all come from and why we tell ourselves the stories we tell ourselves.' ---Jerry Saltz 'It's time to rediscover the real and this book tells you where to find it. Indispensable.' --Jarvis Cocker Ben Edge has travelled the length and breadth of Britain recording the weird and wonderful folk customs alive in communities all over the country. In this book, the first trade edition of his art, he shares over 200 paintings and photographs, along with real-life stories, anecdotes and legends. He talks about how connecting with our incredible living folklore helped him recover from depression, and also introduces his idea of folklore activism, suggesting that the current massive resurgence of interest in contemporary folk culture represents ordinary people's desire to find new ways of envisioning community and caring for and connecting to nature. Readers will be enchanted and inspired by the images and description of: Mass events that are attended by thousands such as the solstices at Stonehenge, the Padstow 'Obby 'Oss parade, the Burry Man's Day and the Straw Bear of Whittlesea. Practices to celebrate the turning wheel of the year, from wassailing to May Day fertility rites to fire festivals to Mumming Plays. The progressive all-female Morris dancing side Boss Morris. The Green Man - how this has become an icon of modern spirituality and eco-consciousness and a personal symbol of mental health recovery to Ben. Standing stones and the mythology surrounding them. Overall the book explores the psyche of British folklore, showing how this has fed into his art and what this means in the context of contemporary life. It's a book about reconnection with nature, each other and the past through art and folklore.

💎 Expert review

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💎

Esoterica Books editorial team

Occult literature desk

While visually stunning and emotionally resonant, this book is not suitable for readers seeking rigorous academic folklore analysis or detached historical documentation. It lacks the scholarly apparatus expected by strict folklorists or historians. Additionally, those uninterested in personal memoirs or the specific context of British customs may find the focus too narrow. However, for enthusiasts of living tradition and art-based spirituality, it offers a unique, intimate perspective that bridges the gap between ancient practice and modern emotional well-being.

✓ EDITOR'S REVIEW

📖 Why choose it

📖

Why this book is worth reading

Readers seeking a compassionate blend of art, history, and personal healing will find this volume deeply rewarding. It is ideal for those interested in the therapeutic power of ritual and the tangible connection to Britain's ancient soul through visual storytelling. Individuals recovering from depression or exploring 'folklore activism' will appreciate Edge’s candid narrative on how immersing oneself in local legends can foster resilience and community. The book serves as both an inspiring artistic portfolio and a gentle guide to reconnecting with cultural heritage, offering hope and practical inspiration for anyone looking to envision a collective future rooted in the past.

⭐ Reader reviews

The starting rating comes from the team Esoterica Books —

⭐ Esoterica editorial review Editorial rating 4.6/5

★★★★★

If you're drawn to the vibrant tapestry of British cultural heritage, curious about the therapeutic power of ancient customs, or seek art that challenges and inspires, this book offers a unique visual and personal journey into the heart of living folklore. Essential for artists and cultural seekers…

Reader rating

4.6

Based on 1 reviews

Esoterica Books editorial team

While visually stunning and emotionally resonant, this book is not suitable for readers seeking rigorous academic folklore analysis or detached historical documentation. It lacks the scholarly apparatus expected by strict folklorists or historians. Additionally, those uninterested in personal memoirs or the specific context of British customs may find the focus too narrow. However, for enthusiasts of living tradition and art-based spirituality, it offers a unique, intimate perspective that bridges the gap between ancient practice and modern emotional well-being.

❓ Frequently asked questions

While featuring over 200 artworks, it's also a deeply personal narrative of the author's journey and a thoughtful exploration of the role of folklore in modern society, blending visual art with cultural commentary and ethnographic observation.

Edge traveled across Britain to document a diverse array of 'weird and wonderful' community rituals, from ancient seasonal celebrations to unique local practices. The book offers a broad spectrum of the British ritual year, showcasing its rich variety.

📖 Who should read this

🎯 Key themes and symbolism

Artistic Folkloric Immersion

Explores how Edge's distinctive artistic lens captures the essence of Britain's ancient customs. His raw, almost mystical style imbues these rituals with a contemporary energy, translating the spirit of the traditions into vivid visual narratives that challenge and engage, making the past vibrantly present through his unique aesthetic.

Healing Through Heritage

Edge candidly shares his personal journey of overcoming depression by engaging deeply with living folklore. This connection to communal, ancestral practices becomes a profound source of solace and renewal, highlighting the therapeutic potential inherent in cultural roots and shared ritual for personal well-being and psychological recovery.

Activism in Tradition

The book introduces "folklore activism," suggesting that the current popular resurgence in folk culture is a collective yearning for new societal visions. Edge posits these ancient customs as a means for contemporary communities to reconnect, challenge the status quo, and forge alternative paths forward, offering a blueprint for cultural agency.

💬 Quotes from the book

“Ben Edge's deeply introspective, almost mystical paintings probe our origins and the narratives we construct for ourselves.”

“It's time to rediscover authentic experience, and this indispensable book reveals where such truths can be found.”

📜 Historical context

This work emerges amidst a broader contemporary folk revival, echoing earlier 20th-century fascinations with local traditions. Edge's artistic approach, however, grounds these customs firmly in the present, moving beyond mere preservation to explore their dynamic, evolving relevance as potent symbols of identity and community in a rapidly changing world, positioning them as vital rather than merely historical artifacts.

📚 Glossary

Folklore Activism
British Ritual Year
Outsider Art

📔 Questions to reflect on

Consider a local tradition from your own heritage. How does it connect you to your past or community, and what wisdom might it still hold for today?
Reflect on a time when art or a creative pursuit offered you solace or a new perspective during a difficult period. How did this creative engagement impact your well-being?
If folklore is a form of 'activism,' what contemporary issues might ancient rituals or stories help us address today, and how could they inspire new forms of community engagement?