The Alchemical Imagination: Alchemy and Radical Creativity is a 45 minute talk by modern alchemist and artist Eliza Swann on alchemy as a hands-on practice of transformation — of matter, perception, and the worlds we build together. Moving beyond myth and metaphor, Swann explores alchemy as a creative discipline rooted in responsibility, renewal, and revolutionary possibility. This talk asks what alchemy can offer us as we face ecological collapse, move through grief, and insist on new forms of living. Alongside vivid stories of historical alchemists, Swann centers poet and activist Diane di Prima as a key contemporary case study, tracing in her work the meeting point of alchemy, art, and revolutionary imagination. Open to all levels of experience with alchemy, The Alchemical Imagination invites audiences into an accessible and inspiring rethinking of alchemy as a necessary practice for collective change and creative renewal.

The Alchemical Imagination is the first book of its kind to address the ancient subject of alchemy through the lens of contemporary creativity. From an expert teacher of modern alchemy across disciplines, Eliza Swann distills this arcane science into an accessible series of philosophies and techniques to help readers find a deeper connection to their own creativity. Part workbook and part historical journey through the lives and practices of the great alchemists, The Alchemical Imagination highlights often-overlooked female alchemists and queer alchemical imagery and traces their many contributions to contemporary art, handing this ancient craft to a new generation.
 
In medieval Europe, alchemists referred to their combined scientific, mystical, and creative vocation as “The Great Art”—and for good reason. In alchemy, spiritual and material realities are inseparable, which freed alchemists to be interdisciplinary thinkers, leading to some of the most important technological advancements and creative breakthroughs of their era. The Alchemical Imagination traces the principles of alchemy through its applications in proto-chemistry, healing arts, psychology, visual art, and literature to help readers develop the tools to arrive at their own Great Art.

Eliza Swann is an interdisciplinary artist, writer, and educator based in New York. They are the founder of the Golden Dome School, an alternative school that explores the mystical dimensions of art. The Alchemical Imagination draws on Eliza’s ten years of teaching alchemy in universities and cultural institutions, including a long-standing popular interdisciplinary art and alchemy course at the Pratt Institute. Eliza received a BA in painting from the San Francisco Art Institute and an MFA from Central St. Martins in London. Their writing has appeared in BOMB, Arthur, Contemporary Art Review LA, Momus, and Perfect Wave, as well as numerous anthologies. Their work has been supported by PEN America, the Foundation for Contemporary Art, the Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs, the Pratt Faculty Development Fund, the Feminist Center for Creative Work, and many other arts institutions. As a visual artist, Eliza has exhibited artwork internationally, most recently at the University of California Santa Cruz, and the Feminist Center for Creative Work in Los Angeles, California.