GALLERIES - BUDDHIST COLLECTION

JINALILY

SIZES:      30 X 14

                 36 X 17

                 42 X 20

                 51 X 24

                 60 X 28

COLLECTION  >

DETAIL

The work contains four principal elements: a large textured red area, water lilies, a section of a marble statue of Jina and a scrollwork overlay of the other three elements. Jina was the founder of Jainism, a religion that originated in India and preceded Buddhism. The statue is shown in a meditative stance with open palms, a hand position known as the Dhyana mudra, as well as upturned soles that mimic the open palms. This imagery appears in both Jain and Buddhist iconography and is the focus of this work.

In Buddhism, the Dhyana mudra represents meditation and spiritual perfection. According to tradition, that mudra was assumed by Buddha when meditating under the Bohdi tree before his Enlightenment. Since ancient times, this gesture was also adopted by yogis during their meditations. It indicates the perfect balance of the senses, thought and tranquility.

In my work, I look upon the open palms, upturned soles and crossed legs as the layered petals of a lotus flower, one of the most powerful symbols in Buddhism. I highlight this lotus-like position to emphasize its ethereal nature as well as its centrality to the work. I extend the lotus metaphor by placing that area below a tableau of water lilies, from which the lotus arises. The two regions are connected by the arms of the statue, which morph into graceful scrollwork. The scrollwork and statue segment form a composite figure with a crown that evokes a cluster of lotus stamens. The water lilies are framed by fine lattice work, giving them the appearance of being viewed through a window. The background is rendered in red, a sacred color in Tibetan Buddhism and the color of its monk’s robes and many of its sacred buildings. It connotes passion and intense meditation and is said to have protective and auspicious qualities.

The textured red region, along with the lotus position of the statue, induce a meditative response on the part of the viewer. As one looks beyond the lotus imagery into the vast red expanse, one enters the work, joining together with the statue in meditation. The viewer is thus engaged in both an esthetic and participative experience.

The photo of the lilies was kindly provided by my late and good friend David BelleIsle.