Molecular to Cosmic by Herzl Kashetsky

Molecular to Cosmic

In 2011, I had the special privilege of working with Herzl Kashetsky on the presentation of his prodigious collection of drawings in the exhibition “Glitter and Gloom: The Sketchbooks of Herzl Kashetsky” at the Beaverbrook Art Gallery. Among the many diverse motifs and forms of iconography in this remarkable body of work were prototypes for the production of his current series of paintings. Taking its title from one of the works in the series, Molecular to Cosmic (2025), its overall theme is the inextricable connection between the smallest building blocks of matter, or molecules, and the largest structures in the universe, namely planets, galaxies and other celestial bodies.

Kashetsky is not a scientist seeking objective truth, but a visual artist who explores subjective experience, evoking a sense of beauty and wonder through his work. A quote by him in one of his sketchbooks offers a clue to his artistic goal: “I want to draw or paint something worth looking at more than once. I want to be connected to something substantial.”

The artist’s masterful ability to create densely packed yet readable imagery invites prolonged viewing and discovery, encouraging us to consider both the intricate details and the encompassing whole of his compositions. As in Interconnectedness of All Things (2025), scientific iconography meets cosmic wonder, arousing introspection and contemplation of the vast and astounding realm of hidden relationships between the microcosm and the macrocosm, of the mystery surrounding the evolution of a dynamic universe teeming with energy, and of the origin of life itself. As Leonardo da Vinci advised, in order “to develop a complete mind,” one must “realize that everything connects to everything else.”

Like the stars in space, human beings are composed of molecules, which not only govern the intricate processes of our bodies, but are intrinsically linked to consciousness itself. Science has revealed how crowds of people are analogous to molecules, a concept that Kashetsky underscores with the juxtaposition of Particles of Matter (2020), which links microscopic life to a fantastical universe, with Spectators (2025), which depicts a diversity of human presence within a large gathering. Accordingly, the concept of molecular crowding in biological systems highlights how the close proximity and restricted movement of molecules in a cell mirror activity that occurs on the macroscale and is not unlike how individuals in a group interact, move, and form specific patterns. The French philosopher Félix Guattari extends this analogy with his use of the term “molecular revolution” to describe a way of approaching social change by focusing on micro-processes and individual agency.

Kashetsky’s dazzling kaleidoscopic aggregations of cosmic and atomic spheres engage the eye like sacred meditation mandalas and the trippy psychedelic aesthetic of the 1960s. These vibrantly coloured abstract paintings share the technical precision and clarity of his high realist works, such as his 1992 Beach Stone series, and are characterized by a trompe-l’oeil effect achieved through skillful detailed shading and shadowing and careful attention to light sources. In works such as Molecular Abstract (2020), Aggregation of Molecules (2024), and Molecular Tapestry (2021), the spheres are arranged in repeating geometric patterns and clusters with some encased in rings and surrounded by smaller orbs, contributing to a sense of depth and dimensionality. A diverse palette of bright, saturated colour set against a deep black background, as in Harmony of Heavenly Spheres (2020), or against a white ground, as in Molecular Invention (2020) and Portals (2024), amplifies the vibrancy of the spheres, making them stand out in harmonious compositions that skillfully balance complexity and coherence.

Since the wonders of molecular structures are invisible to the naked eye, spherical or circular forms have long been used by scientists to visualize them. Existing in many spiritual traditions and in art for millennia, they became an essential component of the artistic vocabulary of modern art, particularly prevalent in movements such as Constructivism, Futurism, Abstract Expressionism, and Op Art. Kashetsky’s molecular abstractions, such as Gravity (2023) and The Infinitesimal to the Immense (2024), can be viewed as aligned with the colourful circular forms and repetitive concentric imagery of Wassily Kandinsky and Robert Delaunay. For them, the circular form served as a symbol of life’s core essence. Of course, in Jungian psychology, the circle represents the Self, embodying the idea of wholeness, unity, and the integration of conscious and unconscious realms.

Creation Unfolding (2024) is animated by numerous colourful spheres and circular forms that vary in size and pattern, along with an array of other geometric shapes and mechanical motifs scattered across a warm, earthy background that transitions through various shades of brown, gold, and ochre. As with Astronomical Abstract (2025), the interplay of form and colour is representative of Kashetsky’s sophisticated command of a visual language that balances thoughtful structure with suggestive symbolism and creative playfulness.

A luminary in New Brunswick’s art community, Herzl Kashetsky has long been an active observer of the world both inside and outside of himself. Driven by curiosity and a profound desire to explore the unknown, he continues to create captivating works of art, giving visual form and conceptual vitality to our human experience of the marvels of the universe and of the eternal flow of existence. His meticulously detailed interpretations of the interconnectedness of the microcosm and the macrocosm engage both the eyes and the mind. Beyond their mesmerizing optical effects, they serve as fantastical cosmic maps of complexity and order that invite us to look beyond the surface, to delve into our perceptions of reality, and to connect with a deeper sense of meaning based on our relationship with the things we both see and don’t see.

- Terry Graff, artist and former Director and Curator of the Beaverbrook Art Gallery, 2025