present moments
• the work
Present Moments is a collection of moments created with Chinese ink and paper. The first 9 pieces of this ongoing series were born in Barcelona when justine lotus arrived back from India, between April and June, and then exhibited at the Centre Cívic Cotxeres Borrell in Barcelona throughout the month of July, thanks to the support of the Barcelona City Council. The pieces hope to serve as portals for us to connect with the present moment.
Size: 150 x 100 cm
Paper: 200 gr Fabriano Accademia
Technique: Chinese ink
Created during a meditative process of no-mind, these paintings serve as a gateway to feel this present moment, to be present, to just be. The invitation is to do nothing but feel, observe, be. Be with the works of art, yourself, your body, maybe some sounds, some other beings while being aware of your breath and your feet on the floor, in silence.
Guided by the teachings of Osho, Ramana Maharshi, Thich Nhat Hanh and others, justine lotus’ main practice is to live fully in the present moment. Painting helps her to achieve this quality as well as to anchor this presence in her being. She hopes that, once painted, the finished pieces serve this same purpose for others.
In order not to influence the viewer in any way, justine lotus does not place any text in her exhibitions other than a brief instruction on how to navigate the show. The absence of words and text help us to feel rather than think, and receive the paintings through our senses and intuition rather than mental images. For this same reason the artist got rid of the titles she initially had for each piece as she felt they were too suggestive of her own experience with the work.
• conscious visits
As part of the exhibition, lotus hosts a series of Conscious Visits to guide visitors through the show by exploring being present. This creates a safe space for self-inquiry, and lets intuition and imagination blossom. Through entering full awareness, we retake the golden moment of the present we are.
The present moment is all we have. The past is gone and the future is not here. All there is is this moment, endless and profound. Let’s live it fully. Let’s be present with our breath, in our body. Let’s relax here and now so we can feel our heart and hear our soul. Don’t prolong the past, and don’t invite the future in, say the buddhists. Here, now. Over and over again. One moment leads into the next until it all becomes one.