Ocean of Abundance – Strip of Life Art
Material & size: Oil on Canvas, 60” L x 48” H (2016)
Description: As a follow up to the 2nd Ocean of Abundance, I liked the theme of the currency in the water setting, but now had this new dimension to my life, a new sense of self and self-understanding that had led to the series Strip of Life Art.
I wanted to see if could make the juxtaposition work. The waters were feeling warmer again. The joy had returned over time, with a lot of work on oneself, and I was swimming again, physically and metaphorically. I was closer to the surface, “closer to the Light”, and felt the warmth of the waters in my spirit again.
By random circumstance, I met a fascinating Nepali woman, who happen to work at an International currency. I told her about this painting project, she asked her boss and was able to get me over 40 different expired currency notes, that I incorporated into the work. Again, I was intrigued by the idea of the paradox of money in this setting, that there is an abundance of it but it also washes away.
The strip of photography incorporates underwater experiences, and goes back to a principle of Physics I learned about called Total Internal Reflection: when a light ray hits a surface and cannot shine through at a critical angle, it reflects back on itself. I thought this property of physics was metaphoric about the journey we face as humans – Sometimes, we have to reflect internally in order to Emerge.
