‘Indra’s Net’, oil on birch board, 90x90x2cm. Circular framing available. For enquiries Contact Us at info@louisemcnaught.com .This piece has a lot of meaning behind it. Indra’s Net is from a parable from Buddhism which provides a beautiful visual metaphor for the interdependence and interpenetration of all phenomena, which I wanted to create out of nature. The parable goes ‘Suspended above the palace of Indra, the Buddhist god who symbolizes the natural forces that protect and nurture life, is an enormous net. A brilliant jewel is attached to each of the knots of the net. Each jewel contains and reflects the image of all the other jewels in the net, which sparkles in the magnificence of its totality.’ The net is basically a metaphor for infinity, and the concept of The Infinite has always fascinated me. I thought I could depict this concept using hummingbirds as they’re very jewel-like, and a swarm of them would provide the illusion of them reflecting each other. It also creates an image of beauty and chaos, which I feel represents reality and infinity beautifully. Humming birds also fly in the ♾ shape of infinity which also goes in well with the concept, as does a circular panel to paint this piece on. As circles represent the notions of totality, wholeness, original perfection, the Self, the infinite, eternity, and timelessness...
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