Mother

Mother is the origin of our existence.

Inspired by Carl Jung’s interpretation of a mandala representing a mother’s womb - this composition is the vision of the earliest stages of conception when one is encapsulated by a gravityless, blood-filled universe.  

The spiral in the centre expresses the idea of infinity: no matter how small/ large the spiral extends it is still caught in its own loop.  The spiral resonates with the idea of “motherhood”; it is not just an instant where one is a mother, but her whole life. In fact existence itself owes its due to all mothers that existed, exists, and will exist in the future; life is an infinite phenomenon. 

 The four white balls at each corner are Jewels in Tibetan Thangka paintings - an offering to holy beings. They symbolise respect/ an offering to all mothers. The pink lines along the edge and inside each small circle along the circumference are like fireworks: celebrating life with synchronised explosions, which are wild, unexpected, and at the same time brilliant. 

*****

Sacred geometry is the study of spiritual meaning in various spatial arrangements. In the concentric structure of mandalas, the circle represents the wholeness of an individual - the self, and the square represents the Cartesian dimensions, or one’s surrounding. The mandala describes the awareness of how we, as conscious beings, relate to our cosmos, our world. 

Jacqueline Shiu uses Chinese classical, Tibetan Thangka, & French art nouveau motifs in her paintings to illustrate the truth, the good, and the beautiful. Geometric proportions & symmetry express dignity, righteousness, and order; organic lines & shapes embody the complexity and depth of human emotions; detail & intricacy reflect human dedication and perseverance; and flowers are symbolic of grace and perfection.