Words from the Artist about Organiverse
“While we are occupied with our daily existence, a great mystery takes place: Life, evolving in every form, from micro to the macro cosmos. Organiverse shares insights into this enigma called life, embracing art, science and ecology a timeless universalism of growth, evolution or genesis --- we have the microscope and telescope within, and an unknown destiny.
This work also embraces the interplay and relationship of colour. It is further a study in organic development. The invisible is made visible, through dots. All life has a beginning, be it the birth of a star, a cell, a whale, lichen, an oak tree, a mouse, and elephant or human being. All comes out of darkness the womb, the cosmic egg. Beyond darkness and ignorance there awaits Light and awakening.”
Background: In the spring 1972, I began creating a set of 100 mandalas (paintings) and named the set “The Organiverse Portfolio”.
So we set our compass in the direction of Madeira, a volcanic island located 800 nautical miles off the coast of Africa. This is where I completed the remaining 90 mandalas.
All 100 mandalas are done in pointillism, dot by dot, atom by atom. The original portfolio consists of twenty-five pages, each with four spherical paintings 8.5 cm in diameter.
Slow is beautiful and good for healing. This journey is an unhurried and peaceful visual and audio experience. Each chapter takes around 15-20 minutes to view. Ideally the chapters should be seen in sequence (chapters 1-10).
• "Organiverse is a glimpse into the multilayered beauty of all that is life. These mandalas offer an opportunity for healing and for a heart-based understanding of who we are physically, emotionally and spiritually -- a dance of colour, form and contemplation." (Dr. Mark Sherman, MDCM, CCFP)
• The poems (songs) of "Gitanjali" embody the essence of Tagore’s poetic spirit and devotion, conveying a deep connection to Nature. In 1913, Tagore was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature for Gitanjali.
"Combined together, this fusion of Henri van Bentum’s artwork and the poetry of Rabindranath Tagore takes the viewer on a new journey of healing and insight." Natasha van Bentum
Chapter One - Mandalas 1-10
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ckxRnxhtQaI
Chapter Two - Mandalas 11-20
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L5EpkpTQSCU
Chapter Three - Mandalas 21-30
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IeArLi8yrs0
Chapter Four - Mandalas 31-40
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7P9iz9raEk4
Chapter Five - Mandalas 41-50
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tf2PCiQfjuI
Chapter Six - Mandalas 51-60
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9w7yz7CnTuI
Chapter Seven - Mandalas 61-70
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fTy_WI1xNVA
Chapter Eight - Mandalas 71-80
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KzG-R_8Er2g
Chapter Nine - Mandalas 81-90
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aqjFARKExOw
Chapter Ten - Mandalas 91-100
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GgtiQqeEgPw
With appreciation also to my partner Natasha van Bentum,
who has been with me on the Organiverse journey since its inception fifty years ago.
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