more Nothingness in Color
State of the Art 2025 is my contribution this year to an ongoing series of “self-portraits.” For years, these pieces have documented my creative journey, reflecting the current status of my work. You can explore previous selections [like State of the Art 2022] and on my dedicated State of the Art gallery page.
Historically, my self-portraits began quite realistically, mirroring my style at the time. As my practice shifted toward abstract painting over the past few years, these visual diaries naturally followed suit, becoming increasingly abstract. State of the Art 2025 is therefore a portrait of my intellectual and artistic self.
And this year, however, marks a significant departure. My “State of the Art 2025” isn’t a single artwork; it’s a series, forming part of a new collection I call “Nothingness in Color.”
This series began with monochrome works, gradually evolving to embrace color. At its core, my minimalist approach remains central, deeply inspired by the philosophies of Zen painting and Daoism.
In the last part of today’s article, I will explain the special features of State of the Art 2025 in more detail.
The Art of Omission: Finding Contrast in the Void
In “Nothingness in Color,” I returned to the challenging principle of omission. It’s difficult to remove elements when there’s already so little left! Yet, the absolute essential, the very heart of my artistic signature, remains: opposits. We’ve extensively discussed the power of these opposing forces in my work.
This new series primarily explores the dynamic interplay of:
- Movement and Stillness
- Power and Softness
- Darkness and Light
While these paintings might appear simple, their creation often proves profoundly challenging. My process involves navigating numerous pitfalls: avoiding the merely “pleasing,” resisting cheap effects, and striving to impress through nuanced color alone. My goal is always to blur the line between the concrete and the abstract, to discover that delicate balance. This continuous search often feels like a precarious balancing act, but it’s where the true essence of the work emerges.
Adding to “Nothingness”: The Paradox of Presence
As artists practicing omission, we inevitably reach a limit – a zenith, much like in life itself. When we leave something out, we must fill the resulting “emptiness” with something else. This could be a single ray of light, a splash of color, or a precise line. Crucially, these additions must always remain subservient to the overarching concept of nothingness.
In the next phase of this series, I consciously chose to add rather than omit. This presents a unique challenge: how to introduce more elements without compromising the fundamental idea of nothingness, or losing the dynamic flow and the essential interplay of opposing poles.
State of the Art 2025: Microcosm and Macrocosm
The painting “Essence of Flow” directly addresses this challenge. It strives to embody this claim while also bringing the aspect of microcosm versus macrocosm into play, hinting at the spherical nature of these unseen forces.
“Flickers of Being”: Dialogue and Musical Affinity
“Flickers of Being” was initially conceived as the singular “State of the Art 2025.” However, its subtleties don’t always translate effectively on screen, prompting the decision to present the entire series instead. My intention for each of these “flickers” was to imbue them with meaning, without being overly specific. More importantly, I aimed to create a dialogue between all the individual elements – a constant endeavor in my work. This piece, like others in the series, carries a strong affinity with the music of Anton von Webern, whose post-romantic, minimalist approach deeply resonates with my artistic heart.
“Heart of the Silence”: Embracing the Full Spectrum
“Heart of the Silence” takes this exploration a step further, opening up to a full color palette. It’s often simpler to achieve a harmonious expression when working with fewer colors. Each additional color, however, introduces a new layer of “excitement,” making the pursuit of meditative expression, tranquility, and a sense of the eternal considerably more difficult. Yet, this challenge is precisely where the deeper conversation of “Nothingness in Color” truly begins.
My Artistic Signature: What Makes “State of the Art 2025” Unique
When even a president finds reason to praise himself, so as an artist, I feel entitled to share why I believe this “State of the Art 2025” series truly represents a pinnacle in my work.
Firstly, I’ve dedicated myself to developing a distinct style and, indeed, my own unique technique. Many artists spend their entire careers striving for a recognizable artistic signature—creating works immediately attributable to them. This pursuit is as challenging in visual art as it is in any other creative discipline.
Furthermore, this current series seamlessly integrates with my work from recent years. Its foundational ideas remain consistent, rooted deeply in Daoist and Zen philosophies. While simply replicating the Old Masters holds little purpose, I find it essential to cultivate these profound philosophical concepts and reinterpret them within a contemporary context. For instance, modern quantum physics, with its confirmation of entanglement, echoes principles Zen embraced over a century ago. In my painting, I strive to incorporate this aspect of interconnectedness—the entanglement of lines, dots, and forms.
This endeavor has led me to forge a style that blends Western and Far Eastern artistic ideas. Far fewer painters achieve this synthesis than one might imagine. Many still recall the groundbreaking collaboration between Ravi Shankar and Yehudi Menuhin; their “West Meets East” album remains a musical milestone, a parallel to the artistic bridge I aim to build.
I could continue this list, but that’s quite enough self-congratulation for now!
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