Becoming Lotus

Becoming Lotus developed through an exploration of mixed media rather than from a fixed concept. While experimenting with combining oil on canvas and silk, I became fascinated by the different qualities of the two materials. Oil felt substantial, textured and earthy, while silk possessed a lightness and delicacy that transformed the way an image could be experienced.

As the painting evolved, this contrast reminded me of the classical Chinese saying 出淤泥而不染, often translated as "the lotus grows from the mud without being stained." The phrase originates from the Song dynasty philosopher Zhou Dunyi, who admired the lotus not simply for its beauty but for what it represented: the ability to remain true to one's own nature despite the conditions from which it grows.

Rather than painting the saying directly, I allowed the materials themselves to embody the idea. The oil layer provided a sense of depth and groundedness, while the silk introduced lightness and translucency. Neither material was intended to dominate the other. Instead, their interaction gradually revealed the character of the painting, allowing the lotus to emerge through the dialogue between the two surfaces.

The meaning was discovered through the making of the work. As each layer developed, the relationship between the materials became inseparable from the idea the painting sought to express.