On My Wall

Among the scraps that Rayna Gillman sent me there is one I particularly like; I see sailing boats in it, and it reminds me of the paintings of Lionel Feininger. What a shame I can't do screenprints, there is not enough room in my studio or kitchen. It is such an inspiration to have these snippets of big Art. I framed this one and hung it on my studio wall.

Direction Map

Qian -- The Sky. Metal, light, reflexion. Western directions. Medical aspect: Lungs, large intestines, skin. Hot spices (yes, white; they do not belong to the red group!) like ginger and pepper. Alcohol. Space, motion, aviation, technics.

The central sqare contains all the elements as a kind of situation map. Each of the patches points to the related square. So the center is a kind of map for the whole panel. And what is in the middle of the map? Another nine-patch aiming into infinite microcosm? No, just five colors in dynamic motion, as the elements are in permanent exchange.
  

 

Dui, Serenity

Dui, serenity, southeast, white and grey, metal, reflecting surfaces. The lake. Water is referred to in two of the chapters. If you look at it from a pier or from a boat, it looks black. But if you see the surface in a landscape, it shines and reflects. Plants and trees appear as silhouettes, insects dance as black dots over it. Also facades with many windows have this reflecting surface and thus belonge to the same symbol group.  And this is the plan. The colors seem to be chosen roughly, but I cannot change the plan, it is part of Chinese medicine and oracles. Just the idea about "all" is my own.

Easy to see which Gua it is this time

Of course you guessed that this depicts fire. Sparks and sheaves brushing upward, spiral movement. I love fire. I wish we had a fireplace. -- In TCM it is associated with bitter taste, its color can also be black or deep red. The element embraces heart, circulation and the body warming system. It stands for enthusiasm and -- if overdone -- madness.

The Ba Gua "Water"

Water on the corners, too, flowing into the nine patch. Little waves and ripples. Water looks black if you look down on it, especially moory water like Loch Ness. This is why black and dark blue are associated with water, "kan", in Chinese mythology. Seen from afar, the water surface reflects the light which will bring us to the Ba Gua chapter "serene", "dui". This is metal element, due to its look like silver. None of these patches in my quilt will be free from the other elements because there is constant exchange between them. Here, added to white for metal, there is yellow for earth, light blue and green for wood, and a little red for fire.