As with all works in the series there is a halo with radiating colours, which is quite more dominant in the composition here.

The series is based on a traditional ceramics design from Bulgaria I have always found fascinating. For me it is strongly representational of our culture, being a radial symmetry with a sun as the core piece.

Mandalas are a symbolic visualisation of the cosmos and the wholeness of our universe. The centre of the mandala is the source of creation and everything that is. Turning the mandala into a halo-like object enhances the power of the centre piece as a sun. Halos are used to depict the highest spiritual evolution of people and for me that is equal to aligning oneself to the source of creation – the centre of the mandala.

The costume I have painted is a traditional folk dress from Macedonia, very rich and very heavy in the embroidery design, which is the exact opposite of the hollowness and empty space inside. One of the prominent subjects in my works is the opposites at play – dark and light, empty and full.

Material : Oil on canvas
Size : 80 x 100 cm / 31.5″ x 38.2″
Framed size : 85 x 105 cm / 33.5″ x 40.2″
Frame : Black grained wooden tray frame
Signature : On the back
Year : 2021