NOTES ON MANDALA, 2025

Oil, aerosol pigment, and pastel on linen

40 x 40 cm

1. A mandala is a geometric configuration of symbols. In various traditions, mandalas are used as ritualistic diagrams to focus the mind and advance the spirit. 2. The term comes to mind only after the artist has set up the initial composition in the painting. 3. The artist was working on the painting during open studios on the weekend before her showcase. During open studios, the artists were expected to welcome visitors and present works instead of working on them. 4. The mandala itself draws from a mythic longing for supreme integration, and the desire to return to a pure, non-spatial, and non-temporal “center.” 5. While painting in real time during a crowded public event, the artist–usually demanding absolute solitude for concentration–was induced into a state of calm introspection. 6. No mandala is the same as another. Each one is a projected image of the psychic condition of its author. 7. The visual elements of the painting are subconsciously drawn from fragments in her studio, including: a reproduction of Jan Van Eyck’s Ghent Altarpiece, the (rare) pristine blue of Berlin sky, and the Waite Rider tarot card, Two of Swords. 8. The provided notes describe not just a mandala as a static image, but the act of creating one as a ritualistic event.