Circle of life Painting

Circle Of Life A cycle of four paintings reflecting my idea of the “Circle Of Life”, comprising the four stages: Birth, Adolescence, Death and Re-Birth. Since most of my paintings are about symbols so also in this work I like to combine objects which in each case become part of my stories. The combination of well-known images with everyday objects in my own interpretation is a constant and re-occurring feature of my work. I have chosen to create each of the four stages in a different epoch: Classic, Modern, Contemporary and Futuristic. The first stage: Birth For me, there is no other image in this world which better expresses the meaning of “Birth Of Mankind” than the most famous painting “Creation Of Man” by Michelangelo at the Sistine Chapel. Therefor I have integrated this image into my painting for the first stage of the “Circle Of Life”, the “Birth” as the first appearance of mankind. I do believe the life on earth is the result of a fortuitous incident in the universe where several necessary elements have come together in the right time , the right place, the suitable environment and, of course, been blessed with the touch of God’s kind hand. Unlike the original painting by Michelangelo, my work suggests that Men and Women have been created at the same time. Since in most societies Men are considered ( or consider themselves) as more important than Women I - as an irony - display God making Men on a luxurious grand piano while Women have to stay on the floor. Personally, I disagree with this concept since I worship Women even more as I adore my mother above all. The second stage: Adolescence The main idea behind this painting is corresponding to that of Christian Faith being “Expelled From Eden”. After we are born, we first learn from our parents how to speak, to eat, to feel, to think, to understand the value of life and how to behave socially. At a later stage we learn the more practical things that help us to survive in our society from school and other institutions: we observe, we study, we wonder, we imitate, we check out new things, we create, we invent, we work as a team, we assume our responsibilities to ourselves and to others, we do good, we sin and we play our role and part in society. We simply live our life as best as we can. The third stage: Leap Of Vanity / Death In this painting I capture the particular moment in which our soul leaves our body. In my belief, after we die, our souls float and are being elevated to heaven where we are meeting with God as he then will decide what our next life will be like. Whoever does good in this life will have a better next life, so I have been taught by my Buddhist upbringing. This painting equates funeral with atmosphere. The soul of the deceased is being given flowers as a Goodbye gift from our loved ones. Music is played at the funeral to help our souls to go to heaven in peace. There is nothing to be really sad about death because death is just a passage leading our souls to the next stage. Death frees our souls from our bodily pain and allows us to move on to another life, a new beginning. The fourth stage: Entering the Virgin Bath/ Re-Birth The idea of this image is not really new; I just re-interpret an old mythos called “The Virgin Bath”. In the ancient time, mankind believed that the Virgin Bath is a place where old and sick people enter a magical swimming pool and come out on the other side young and healthy again. But I take this belief a little bit further. When I see the painting “Der Jungbrunnen” by Lucas Cranach and consider the reality of life then I can see that there in fact is a real existing Virgin Bath. It is not a swimming pool like in the Old Masters paintings, but in reality it is our mother’s womb. The sequence of events in this painting works from right to left as re-incarnation itself is like a reverse event. Once again I portray a dead body and a soul that rises from it and then enters the bubble (heaven) where it can rest, transform and enter a new body – ready to be born again. This bubble is filled with fluid of life, our souls floating inside and receiving a new body. Once again, a re-birth takes place. The far left of the painting, I painted the young pregnant mother holding a double sand clock (symbol of eternity, a circle of life itself) and a child (Jesus kind from Raffaello Sanzio) standing near her. They are looking into each others eyes, he seeks a security and love from his mother and she is giving him a comfort and a mother´s love through her eyes. The mother and a child are the symbol of a new beginning. In conclusion, this bubble is nothing else but our mother’s womb: The Virgin Bath.