2026
Spray paint, paper, paste, ink, found wood frame
In Esoteric Buddhism, the deity Samantabhadra is viewed as the protector of the Samaya Vow, which serves as a series of statements regarding one’s spiritual practice that are effectively summarized as “never quit.” In this mixed media piece, a number of images with threatening faces seem to be present around a childlike stencil figure with hands in the gassho prayer mudra. The figure is flanked by Manjushri, the bodhisattva of wisdom. As a whole, the aesthetic of the piece is enhanced by the fact that it was created on a mass-produced image and frame set that was set aside as trash, showing that it is impossible to simply throw out one’s vows.