Oil on canvas.

30x30x1"

This oil painting is a reflection on the cyclical journey of meditation and self-discovery, presented through abstract expression. The work invites the viewer to rotate the canvas, each turn revealing a different layer of emotional experience—four distinct states that represent the internal process of confronting, shedding, and ultimately finding peace within oneself.

At the heart of the painting is the idea that meditation is not a linear experience but a fluid, dynamic process of transformation. As the viewer turns the painting, they encounter four abstract representations that shift in mood and symbolism:

- **The first rotation** reveals a joyful, abstract yogi, embodying the peace and clarity that meditation can bring when the mind is aligned and still.
- **The second rotation** shifts the focus to a shelter-like, tipi form, symbolizing the comfort and protection found in the inward journey—a place of safety and refuge where one can retreat and reflect.
- **The third rotation** introduces a sadder yogi, a figure that reflects the vulnerability and emotional release that often comes during meditation—facing and confronting the darker, more challenging parts of the self.
- **The final rotation** shows a masked figure, representing the layers of identity and persona we wear, perhaps hiding the true self or the complexities of how we present ourselves to the world.

This circle of rotation mirrors the cycle of meditation itself—moving through states of calm, reflection, sadness, and hidden identity, all with the aim of shedding masks and discovering a deeper truth. It speaks to the emotional journey that I, as an independent woman in a man’s world, often experience—the push and pull between societal expectations, personal strength, vulnerability, and the constant process of self-revelation. There is not alot of information out there about how to understand a female body and it's abilities. It's a constant emotional struggle.

Each turn of the painting is a metaphor for how meditation brings clarity and understanding of the self. It is a continuous cycle, a way of unraveling one’s internal landscape, shedding layers, and returning to a place of centeredness, only to start again. The four abstract figures—joyful, sheltered, sad, and masked—are not fixed states but phases that reflect the multifaceted nature of human emotion, especially the complex emotional landscape of being a woman navigating the world. Through this work, I invite viewers to consider their own meditative practices and the layers of identity they too are discovering and reshaping in their own journeys.

Meditation 4 moods

Mariam Qureshi

1,300.00

Painting

< >