The Sound of the Universe

Original painting SOLD, oil on canvas, 300 x 300mm, 2009

Explore the story of the artwork >>

Print sizes and editions (limited to 275)

• Regular museum archival paper print - 550 x 550mm

Your unique limited edition fine art print

1. Sofia Minson creates your exclusive signed print
2. We ship for $25 in NZ and from $50 internationally
3. Your artwork arrives rolled, ready to be framed - do you need help? Request framing guidance
   
   

The story of The Sound of the Universe

The subject of 'The Sound of the Universe' is an exaggerated representation of a pou (carved post) symbolizing Sofia's Ngati Porou ancestors' waka 'Horouta'. The pou stands in a line-up of ten poupou at the grounds at Te Tii Marae, Northland, and together they represent the great waka traditions linking Aotearoa with the Pacific. Sofia sees the pou as being our ancestors speaking to us with the consciousness of the next world.

The mouth is wide and is a void of blackness, within that blackness is the Sanskrit symbol Aum. Our ancestors are giving us the profound and unifying message of Aum, which is literally the resonating sound of the universe. "The whole world has evolved from Aum The whole world is sustained by Aum The whole world will merge into Aum" - Sivayave.

Guru Sri Chinmoy said that the role of consciousness is to deepen silence and to expand sound. In his Colour Kingdom book the colour turquoise is connected with the idea of consciousness. The turquoise light glowing from the carved figure in the painting signifies the embodiment of a higher consciousness.

The figure's eye in the painting is the eye of a humpback whale. Whales are believed to have mass consciousness, not individual consciousnesses like man does. That means, if something happens to one whale, it is somehow known to the rest. Some believe the deeply peaceful presence emanating from whales, which is palpable to divers fortunate enough to experience close contact, as well as the sacrifice that whales make in beaching themselves, are in order to raise the vibration and compassion of humankind. The figure in the painting has essentially the same role as the humpback whale, as guardian of man.

Select your print >>

Sofia Minson Paintings | New Zealand Artwork