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The Cabalist influence on Solar's language can be seen in that his newly invented language was composed of words, as well as numbers, symbols and mathematical concepts. Solar’s language and paintings were also heavily influenced by astrological concepts, as well as a duodecimal system that he devised(Astrology). Solar’s love of astrology led him to create a duodecimal system based on twelve instead of ten (Duodecimal). He used this system as the basis for a language that was monosyllabic and without grammar. He chose the number twelve because of its universal usage in all cultures. All civilizations seemed to find something special about the number twelve as explained in the link to duodecimal system. Twelve is also a very versatile denominator in fractions. This may explain why many things are judged in terms of twelve. Therefore, the number twelve was not only a number, but an important symbol in most cultures. Therefore, Solar used it to create a universal language that would be easy for all to understand. Solar felt that this incorporation of mathematics into language would be understood by a wider range of people. In sum, Solar’s fusion of language was a way to fuse different possibilities in order to gain knowledge. The more concepts and ideas introduced to us, the more we are able to understand the world around us. A unifying language creates a new and unified culture. Solar shared the same agenda as most magical realist painters whose intent was to erase barriers between various and opposing worlds, allowing them to exist simultaneously by increasing understanding through tension. Another intent of magical realism was to reveal the souls and faces of mundane objects and symbols in order to force human beings to increase understanding by thinking more in depth about their world and not taking it for granted. According to Roh, magical realism makes the obvious into a problem in order to invite in-depth thinking(Roh).
Some references
“Duodecimal.” World History.com. 17 Ocetober, 2004. <http://www.worldhistory.com/wiki/d/duodecimal.htm>
“Hommage to Xul
Solar.” Universe in Universe/1st Mercosur Biennial. 20
November 1997. Centro Cultural da
Associação dos Profissionais Liberais Universitários do Brasil. 25 October,
2004. <http://www.universes-in-universe.de/car/mercosul/e_xul.htm>
“Astrology.” World History.com. 17 October, 2004. <http://www.worldhistory.com/wiki/a/astrology.htm>
“Xul Solar.”World History.com. 17 October 2004.<http://www.worldhistory.com/wiki/X/Xul-Solar.htm>
Solar, Xul Alejandro, Ades, Dawn and Green Christopher. Xul Solar: The Architectures. Courtland Institute Galleries. January 1994.
Roh, Franz. “Magic Realism: Post-expressionism.” Magical Realism. Ed.Zamora, Parkinson Lous and Farris B. Wendy. 1995. 1-31.
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