Elkdonis Arts Collective
Real attention is a radiant field of energy…a timeless medium for the instantaneous transfer of experience. It is a function or property of space in which we can participate voluntarily, or not. It is the congruence of perception and will which, when voluntarized, connects us to our experience. It is the catalyst which transforms sensation into consciousness. It is the necessary and sufficient condition of our possible evolution.
— inpresence.org
About Us
A Fourth-Way Mutual Aid Society
We are Elkdonis Arts Collective, a performance and visual arts group. We work to restore the necessity of art in life for all.
Our name comes from a word found in G.I. Gurdjieff's Beelzebub's Tales: "helkdonis", meaning objective prayer for God (not prayer for self).
Our membership is largely comprised of students and teachers of the fourth-way attempting to work objectively as artists or entrepreneurs. We function as a mutual aid society helping each other apply the fourth-way teachings, to self-observe and self-remember, to learn and grow.
Our original group was formed in Newmarket, Ontario, Canada in 1990. We opened the first internet cafe in town and held concerts and events. The form the Work takes is always changing.
There are but two paths an artist may take. One may depict or convey a subjective idea, such as an advertisement or political statement. The viewer will find it beautiful or ugly based on their conditioning.
The other choice is to be a guide into transcendent sensations—this is objective art. The artist holds an inquiry into something bigger than themselves until the force affects them inwardly. Outwardly this produces a gesture, and the gesture produces an artifact.
The artifact is completed by the viewer, who will be moved into the same emotional experience as the artist during the inquiry. This is an objective communication—an act of revelation.
"While working together in an asocial climate, a unique group unity unfolds from each person's heightened commitment to their own internal sources while sharing that Presence with others and being acted on by the Presence of others."
— Antero Alli
Objective Art
We guide artists into transcendent sensations through inquiry into forces bigger than themselves.
Mutual Aid Society
A circle of friends accelerating each other's growth while maintaining a non-hierarchical structure.
International Community
Members worldwide, all welcome to join our exploration of paratheatre and fourth-way work.
Self-Observation
Applying fourth-way teachings to self-observe, self-remember, and cultivate presence.
"To cultivate resonance with vertical sources is not easy. This kind of inner work persists as an uphill struggle against the grain of decades of horizontal, socially-conditioned, externally-directed habit patterns. Accessing our verticality can act as an irritant to anyone identified exclusively with the horizontal plane of existence. The shock of authentic vertical contact, no matter how fleeting, can shatter unchecked assumptions about the world around us and who we think we are."
— Antero Alli
The Collective
Our Members
We are all students, and teach in the understanding that we are all beginners here. Click on a member to learn more about their role.
Jason
Founder
Director of Operations
Jason founded Elkdonis Arts Collective in Newmarket, Ontario in 1990. His vision of combining fourth-way teachings with objective art practice has guided the collective through 30+ years of evolution and transformation. He leads operations and ensures the Work itself remains at the center of all activities.
Steph
Director of I.T. and Security
Technical Infrastructure
Steph oversees all technical infrastructure and security protocols for Elkdonis Arts Collective. Her expertise ensures our digital spaces remain sacred and protected, enabling authentic connection and growth for all members.
Dana
Co-Founder
Artist/Writer in Residence
Dana has been instrumental in shaping the artistic vision of Elkdonis since its founding. As Artist/Writer in Residence, she brings deep inquiry and practice to the collective's exploration of objective art and paratheatre.
Guru Dharam
Projects Manager
Director of Web Development
Guru Dharam manages projects and leads web development initiatives for the collective. His work bridges the technical and spiritual aspects of our digital presence, creating platforms that support authentic fourth-way community.
Aeon
Executive Producer
Music and Video Director, Artist/Writer in Residence
Aeon brings creative vision to our music and video productions. As Executive Producer and Artist/Writer in Residence, they guide the collective's media output with an eye toward objective communication and transcendent expression.
Sarah
Director of Public Relations
Community Outreach
Sarah manages public relations and community outreach for Elkdonis Arts Collective. She serves as a bridge between the inner work of the collective and the wider community of seekers and artists.