Bill Armstrong: Buddha and Mandala

Bill Armstrong’s Buddha & Mandala depicts luminous images of the artist’s interpretation of Mandalas and Buddhas. Armstrong alters the symbol of the mandala to reveal the spirituality through abstraction and minimalism. Central themes in Buddhism, such as the Wheel of Life or the Maps of the Cosmos, resonate in the work as the saturation of color pulsates for the viewer. Using his camera’s focusing ring set on infinity, these images capture the celestial and meditative aspects of Mandalas. Through the use of his technique and the pulse of color, the artist allows the viewer a chance to meditate on these spiritually centered photographs upon viewing.

Armstrong’s Buddha’s include images collected from books and the internet, Armstrong strings together the various visuals on different backgrounds. By photographing these new collages out of focus, the artist deconstructs the subjects in the collage to reveal new transcendental narratives that uncover layers of the spiritual world. This imaginative take in the photographs nods to the belief that the Buddha figure is an imagined being not of a real likeness. Luminous in nature, these works present a capture of aura in transcendence for the viewer.

ON VIEW
February 27–April 26, 2015

OPENING RECEPTION
Friday, February 27, 5:30p–8:00pm