Dance of Mandala

As though moving in a dream, she sank to a chair. The room was losing shape; it was dark and getting darker and there was nothing to be done about it; she could not lift her hand to light a lamp.

Suddenly, closing her eyes, she felt an upward surge, like a diver emerging from some deeper, greener depth. In times of terror or immense distress, there are moments when the mind waits, as though for a revelation, while a skein of calm is woven over thought; it is like a sleep, or a supernatural trance; and during this lull one is aware of a force of quiet reasoning: well, what if she had never really known a girl named Miriam? that she had been foolishly frightened on the street? In the end, like everything else, it was of no importance. For the only thing she had lost to Miriam was her identity, but now she knew she had found again the person who lived in this room, who cooked her own meals, who owned a canary, who was someone she could trust and believe in: Mrs. H. T. Miller.

(From Miriam, by Truman Capote, 1945)

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I was fortunate enough to see one of Damien Hirst's "mandalas" in London (from memory it was either at Stephanie Hoppen Gallery or Gagosian Gallery). It was a special experience to view the painting in person, up close—various pastel hues in beautiful harmony; yet slightly darkened, as if the colours had caught a cold, as if bloodletting had been performed on the artwork. It takes up an entire wall—quieting and commanding simultaneously.


*Be sure to click on all the images for enlargement of stunning details. You can read more about Damien Hirst here.

Damien Hirst, Psalm Print: Exaudi, Domine, 2009. 740 mm x 715 mm paper size. Silkscreen print with glaze.

Damien Hirst, Tranquility, from the Butterflies series, 2008. Butterflies and household gloss on canvas, 231.6 x 323 x 13 cm.

Damien Hirst, Ascended.

A butterfly piece by Damien Hirst, part of the Superstition installation series at the Gagosian Gallery, 17-19 Davies Street, London. Photo via flickr.

Damien Hirst, Cathedral Print, St Peter's, 2007. 1200 x 1200 mm. Silkscreen print with glazes and pearlised colours.

Damien Hirst, Cathedral Print, St Paul's, 2007. 1200 x 1200 mm. Silkscreen print with glazes and pearlised colours.

Damien Hirst, Cathedral Print, Orvieto, 2007. 1200 x 1200 mm. Silkscreen print with glazes and pearlised colours.

Damien Hirst, Cathedral Print, Palais des Papes, 2007. 1200 x 1200 mm. Silkscreen print with glazes and pearlised colours.

Damien Hirst, Butterfly Wallpaper, 2004.

Damien Hirst, Psalm Print: Exaudi, Domine (diamond dust), 2009. 740 mm x 715 mm paper size. Silkscreen print with glaze.

Butterflies, by Damien Hirst. Gloss Household Paint and Collage on Canvas, 9 x 12", 2007.

Damien Hirst, Soul, 2006. Silk screen on 410gsm Somerset Tub Sized paper, print and paper size 420mm x 297mm.

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Sarabande, Giga and Badinerie by Arcangelo Corelli, one of my favourite Baroque composers.




Arcangelo Corelli's Sonata VII in D minor: Preludio (Vivace), Corrente (Allegro), Sarabanda (Largo) & Giga (Allegro). Performed by: Andrew Manze (historical violin), Richard Egarr (historical harpsichord); label: Harmonia Mundi. Corelli's Opus 5 is a set of 12 sonatas for violin and cello or harpsichord, although only violin and harpsichord settings were agreed upon by performers as written in their liner notes. Published on the first of January, 1700, the set of sonatas quickly became famous and are the only violin sonatas from Corelli.