From UNFOLDING THROUGH ART

by Namgyal Rinpoche

“The purpose of this exploration is not to produce a work of art but to “be” a work of art. Everything you do must be conducive to awakening, to unfolding. This should be the main idea behind your work here. Everything is unfolding you, but it’s good to be consciously involved in the unfoldment that is already taking place.”

“It may be difficult, at first glance, for you to see the correlation between art and the Four Noble Truths, but art, particularly abstract art, is the search for something beyond; art is the search for freedom. There must be a conscious delineation of this before you paint; you must say, "I want emotional freedom and I want to know”. If not, there will be frustration because your work may not lead to knowing and an over-all philosophical understanding. Before you begin you should raise the question as to what you want to achieve. If it is complete liberation, Sammasambuddha, then you will make effort. In this light it may be good to paint the suffering first – to knowingly work through it is to achieve freedom.