Saddle Up 

This contemporary piece presents us with a figure adorned in intimate apparel, set against an ornate circular backdrop reminiscent of a mandala. The mandala, an ancient symbol originating in Hinduism and Buddhism, represents the cosmos and the cyclical nature of existence. Here, it echoes the symbolic weight once seen in classical and renaissance artworks depicting divine halos, where auras were used to suggest transcendental insight. The concentric circles and geometric patterns reflect an underlying order, akin to the structure we project onto the universe and the self. Notice how the figure, positioned at the mandala’s centre, becomes the focal point, drawing the viewer into a personal, almost meditative space. This echoes the ‘Pathosformel’, the expression of emotions through gestures. The turn of her head, the soft curls of her hair, and the intimate garb all point to a complex inner life. This motif, rooted in antiquity, resurfaces here, charged with new meaning in a contemporary light.