“Free admission.” Those words greet you as we approach the Benjamin Creme Museum.
The Benjamin Creme Museum seeks to spotlight the work of Benjamin Creme. He was an exceptional man of inspired service. Creme was an artist and a visionary. He helped to inaugurate a new era. His impact is still not fully understood.
Benjamin Creme cheerfully and altruistically performed his service. His work shows great intelligence, style, heart, and panache. Stylistically groundbreaking, his art is a new genre. It is an entirely new kind of spiritual art.
Benjamin Creme’s art constitutes mandalas. Mandalas engage the viewer. They impart the essence of meaning.
A mandala is a visual mantra in Sanskrit. When properly pronounced, a mantra releases energies. These energies create effects. Similarly, a mandala releases energies when properly created. It also releases energy when contemplated. Mandalas are symbolic presentations of states of consciousness.
Benjamin Creme’s paintings are also mandalas. Mandalas cover a wide range. Their basic purpose is to release energy to the viewer. They represent states of Being or Consciousness. They can evoke that in the viewer through contemplation.
The mandala doesn’t do this by itself. If correctly made, the mandala releases energy. This happens in response to the viewer’s concentration. It also happens through contemplation of the ideas. In this way, a mandala painting aids meditation. A visual image can express esoteric ideas. These can be on cosmic, inspirational or personal levels.
One visitor said he felt the energy in Creme’s art. It was like looking at El Greco. But it’s in a totally modern style.
The Benjamin Creme Museum is located at 1646 Sawtelle Blvd, Los Angeles. It’s open Saturdays and Sundays. The museum is open from 10 am to 6 pm. You can visit Saturday and Sunday evenings from 6pm-8pm, but only by appointment.
Remember that the Benjamin Creme Museum is closed on major holiday weekends. These include Memorial Day, July 4th, Labor Day, Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s.
As you leave the Benjamin Creme Museum, consider Benjamin Creme’s impact. His art offers a new perspective. It blends artistic expression with spiritual insight. It is an experience that stays with you long after you leave.