2002

28" x 28" | 71cm x 71cm

smalti, unglazed porcelain, 24kt mosaic gold, on cement board

this labyrinth is based on the native american design known as the man in the maze. it is often seen in the american southwest, on baskets and woven goods.

i have always found labyrinths and their history very intriguing. this one, in particular, was attractive to me because of the angular directional flow within the circle.

at the time of this work, i related the labyrinth journey in terms of the indian chakra centers of the human energy field. thus, the red on the outside of the labyrinth, and at the beginning of the journey, following through each level and its associated color, up through the energy centers. this progression through the energy centers can be seen as a sort of refinement process, or growth of consciousness. i felt that this could also represent the prayerful or contemplative journey to the center of the labyrinth.

in my understanding, the center is not the goal, or the end, but more a temporary resting place. one must travel back out, and navigate through and from all the levels, hopefully having achieved a deeper understanding and a higher level of consciousness from the journey.