WESTERN FRONT – Mandala '82

Description:

While in residence at Western Front, Kō Nakajima produced Mandala ‘82, a single-channel video work that documents the making of a large mandala with coloured sand on the floor of the Grand Luxe Hall. The work reflects on the mandala philosophy of constant flux, with sand representing this state of transformation. In the video, Nakajima is joined by three assistants to complete the design on paper. The mandala is organized by the four elements and symbolizes states of consciousness in esoteric Buddhism.

An audio track of ritual chanting underscores the video documentation, which ends with the artists laying the pieces of the mandala on the sidewalk outside of Western Front, followed by footage of the beluga tank at the Vancouver Aquarium.

Sponsored by Sony Canada.

Video documentation available upon request.

Seen in black and white, a spotlight illuminates four people sitting on the floor, pouring sand on a white sheet in the centre. Tripods, a box television, and metal carriers surround them.

Seen in black and white, a performer cuts through a sand mandala made on a white sheet on the floor. Three kneeling performers surround them as they create a grid pattern at the centre.

Seen in black and white, a spotlight illuminates four artists hovering on the floor over a sand mandala. They sit closely together on a white sheet as three standing spotlights surround them.

Seen in black and white, a spotlight illuminates four artists hovering over a white sheet, facing the centre. The room is dark, except for their work area, which is surrounded by three standing spotlights.

Seen in black and white, a spotlight illuminates a complex mandala made of sand on a white sheet, as one artist hovers over its delicate borders. Two spotlights surround the work area on the floor.

Seen in black and white, a spotlight illuminates a complex, sand mandala on a white sheet on the floor. In the background, an artist works on its delicate border.

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Captions:

Kō Nakajima, Mandala ‘82, photo documentation (1982).
Kō Nakajima, Mandala ‘82, photo documentation (1982).
Kō Nakajima, Mandala ‘82, photo documentation (1982).
Kō Nakajima, Mandala ‘82, photo documentation (1982).
Kō Nakajima, Mandala ‘82, photo documentation (1982).
Kō Nakajima, Mandala ‘82, photo documentation (1982).

Western Front is a non-profit artist-run centre in Vancouver.

We acknowledge the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Skwxwú7mesh (Squamish), and səl̓ílwətaʔɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) Nations as traditional owners of the land upon which Western Front stands.