“Lunar Landscapes”: An Introduction

The “Lunar Landscapes” collection chronicles the long and strenuous journey of a spiritual escape away from today’s murky and unsteady societal landscape. This visual diary presents through a series of snapshots the difficult steps down an unfamiliar path in an attempt to lose oneself in a parallel and uncluttered world, void of sound, motion and life. By calming the mind down to complete stillness, quietude and a deep communion with this arid and jagged terrain can happen in this unexpected place. The path to spiritual reconstruction and self-deliverance is long and sinuous. Away from chaos, the road which leads back to the very beginning can eventually be found. Only then will the Essential reappear in focus and will the soul be inspired again.

This metaphorical voyage is best described by the use of a dramatic contrast in the artist’s palette. The stark edges and dim lighting in the early pieces denote the traveler’s initial state of mind and feeling of despair and confusion. Feeling astray and lost leads to an initial sense of panic (most vividly portrayed in “Am I Here Alone” or in “De-Cluttering”).  

As the journey progresses, the mind grows calmer and a quiet communion with this bare and splendid land takes shape. The raw splendor of the landscape seems to act as a comforting force on the traveler whose mind is able to reflect on detachment and can plunge into an early state of meditative harmony.

(see “Evasion” and “You Are In A Safe Place.”)

This odd land appears familiar yet mysterious, like a silent bystander, frozen in motion (“Crests” and “Ancient Marshland”).

The final spiritual effort comes from a transcendental experience where a deep state of meditation is attained, stripping the mind of any residual clutter. The culmination of this fantastic voyage comes with the final piece of the collection when the traveler eventually reaches a haven of peace and encounters spiritual awakening (“Revelation”). This piece saturated with light and shades of vivid white hues conveys a euphoric feeling of enlightening and inner peace.

Texture is used by the artist as a narrative voice to convey the various states of mind encountered during this journey: While the pieces painted on paper are smooth to convey the calming and soothing whisper of this otherworldly land, those painted on canvas are saturated with thick and uneven layers of paint, prickly and jagged edges translating the traveler’s conflicted inner voice along this expedition.