I
have long had a fascination with religious architecture.
From the Lascaux caves to the ancient Egyptian temples to
the high Gothic cathedrals to Hagia Sophia Mosque to the
erotic temples of India, their forms are most human, reflecting
the endless mystery of creation in, if you think about it,
not such subtle shapes.
Much
of my work is about this reflection of masculine and feminine
forces, which we in our Puritan rooted culture pretend to
ignore. Ever since people crawled through the belly of the
earth to paint on cave walls, we have implicitly venerated
the symbol of the womb, which has continued to shape religious
architecture. I find the towers of Medieval Christian, Islamic,
and Indian architecture obviously phallic, but the archways
and domes of these styles are undeniably feminine. These
transformational symbols of renewal, rebirth, reflection,
and reunion through form and space are imprinted on our
psyches.
The
eyes on the front of the amulet have a synchronous history.
I've chased them on a few pieces in the past, though over
smaller areas, and recently did them like this piece on a
similarly shaped amulet that is in a state of perpetual unfinishedness.
It was part of a demonstration I did for the Amulets,
Bottles, and Vessels course I taught last fall. The outside
shape was inspired by the temples of Khajuraho in India, and
on the front I decided to chase this same eye pattern. A few
weeks later I saw Alex Grey's beautiful and amazing work.
In his paintings and drawings, he often incorporates repeating
eyes as symbols of spirit and knowing. It's a strange but
comforting feeling to turn a corner in a museum, open a book,
or click on a website and discover something you think you
have done somewhat originally has been done to the point of
being archetypal. There is a gentle reminder that images and
shapes repeat throughout art and time, but it's how you interpret
them in your own work that is creative.
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