karl maenz |
|||||
paintings of the spirit within me |
|||||
mandala improvisations (2007) |
Metamorphosis of a theme
|
||||
 |
In Tibetan Buddhism, a mandala is an imaginary palace that is contemplated during meditation. This series starts with the original theme in mind.
|
||||
| tibetan mandala | |||||
 |
As in music, improvisations will wander far from the original theme, and become more or less independent and self-contained. The abstract expressionist (abex) Sam Francis' mandala series is perhaps my favorite of the many modernist improvisations on the theme. Here is an example. | ||||
| sam francis | |||||
 |
In m 1, I was still almost totally in the spirit of all-over automatic abex, except for the square design and white rim. The result was fresh and spontaneous, though a Tibetan monk might accuse me of blasphemy.
|
||||
m 1 |
|||||
 |
m 2 is a beautiful mandala: a red, blue and gold "palace" surrounded by two gardens of beautiful abstract flowers. It's very romantic, love this picture. But - did I wish to paint romantic mandalas - where is the intuitive side of my character? |
||||
| m 2 | |||||
 |
In m 4, the "intuitive" takes over completely, actually covers an original dark-blue square design. The circular movement, in shades of silver, gold and various light blue-turquoise strokes, exudes beauty and spirituality. Mounted on a large brushed aluminium plate, it's one of my favorite paintings. |
||||
| m 4 | |||||
 |
m 5 borrows from the blue-gold look of m 4 and combines it again with the "mandala" squares. Its center is a structured golden palace with a crimson interior. Probably my most decorative painting, currently mounted on a large frame of weathered larch, painted white. |
||||
| m 5 | |||||
 |
 |
m 6 and m 8 are inspired by Islamic ornamental art, and I have rearranged and re-colored the geometric elements for a modernist look. All traces of automatism have disappeared, but in an inexplicable way, I feel touched. |
|||
| m 6 | m 8 | ||||
 |
 |
 |
m 7, m 9 and m 10 revert in part to automatism, and combine it with geometrics. Here the two approaches compete to create an interesting tension. Two paintings in one? | ||
| m 7 | m 9 | m 10 | |||
| Quo vadis ? | An interesting ride so far. At first sight, m 10 seemed more decorative, less intuitive than others. But as time goes by, I feel very attracted to it: its puzzling composition, its opposites of monochromes vs. patterns, hard-edge rigor vs. automatic painting, its various shades of light grey, the larger canvas size (100x100 cm) ... Please stay tuned. |
||||
|
|||||
| back to mandala series |
| email to artist |