2 | September 11, 2007 in Journal | comments: 0
The Knots
Over the past several months, I’ve been putting together the outline for the Cosmic Knot project. I’ve been working on it quite diligently, although from this site, you wouldn’t really know it. One of the major elements of the thesis project is the story that is told through the Knots by illustration. These Knots will ultimately make up the body of work, and will be the basis for the exploration of the Knots. Here’s a brief summary of the topic and themes for each of the Knots.
The Knot of Creation
The Knot of Creation represents the creation of the universe. This is the beginning of the narrative that makes up the Cosmic Knot. This first Knot and illustration were created for a final in the Sacred Geometry course taken Summer Semester 2007. This Knot represents the combination of the scientific theory of the “Big Bang” theory and places the hand of God as the initiator of the creation. This work also represents one of the fundamental aspects of the KNOT – the harmonic integration of chaos and order. The Knot becomes symbolic of the creation, just as order was brought out of chaos, the image of the knot is created by applying principles of geometry and symmetry to create a unified whole. The single line of the knot, also is representative of God and eternity.
The Knot of Self Awareness
Everyone has moments in their life when they become more aware of themselves. There’s a point when babies recognize themselves in the mirror. There are times when adults feel and recognize their own mortality and their connection to the earth more than others. This sequence is about the Earth, and about how we are all deeply connected to it. It is also about becoming aware of our own mortality. The Knot and illustration will focus on this aspect, incorporating themes which represent mortality and our current Earthly state. Historical themes and symbols come into play, the “Square” representing the earth, the story of Adam and Eve is also perfect, as they partake of the tree of knowledge of good and evil and begin to recognize their own mortality.
The Knot of Spirituality
As a logical progression, just as we become aware of our own mortality, we also have times in our lives when we become more in tune with our Spirituality and our connection to things beyond the confines of our mortality. This scene and knot represent the moment of revelation where the search for spirituality yields a connection to the heavens. There are plenty of events in history that are focused on this connection of humanity to the Gods. In fact, most major religions have been formed based upon a vision or personal experience between humankind and God. As in the “Creation” the knot represents the communion of man and spirit, where man gets in touch with divinity and enlightenment.
The Knot of Darkness
Even when you’ve had incredible and power experiences connecting with your own spirituality, there are times when you will feel lost, depressed, and even surrounded by darkness. The Knot in its more chaotic form can be a symbol of stress, tension, and can even be construed as a maze or labyrinth, representing a problem or puzzle that must be solved. This scene explores those aspects of the knot, the problems that we have to solve or overcome in our lives to achieve happiness.
The Knot of Love
From the earliest times, the knot has been used as a symbol of love. There’s an excellent article in the book “History and Science of Knots” which tells the story of the “True Lover’s Knot”. There’s a rich history of “Love knots” in just about every culture. There’s been quite a bit of work done on this topic, especially in regards to European history and usage. There’s a great significance with the “True Lover’s Knot” to seamen—sailors were were said to enclose the “true lover’s knot” tied in silk in a letter to their sweetheart. If she returned the knot with the knots close together, he would know that she still loved him. If not, another interpretation would be in order. This tradition was still being practiced until 1860, and many names of knots in martime literature reflect the custom (History and Science of Knots – pp 411)
The Knot of Marriage
The knot has been associated with marriage, hence the phrase “Tying the Knot”. This illustration basically continues the story of #5 and deals with the subject of Marriage. The commitment of one individual to another. There subject matter involves some of the pageantry and symbolism found in religious wedding ceremonies. The “True Lover’s Knot” is still important to the overall message here. It is interesting that the “Knot.com” is the “#1 wedding website with 3.2 million unique visitors a month”
The Knot of Parenthood
This knot represents the occasion when two people become “parents” through the event of a child birth. The birth is very symbolic of the creative power that is in each and every one of us. This knot echos that of the creation, but incorporates a much tighter bond and distinct representations of Father, Mother and child. The knot represents the unity of the family, and can serve a symbol of the work and joy that comes with the love and relationships thatcome from the core of the family.
The illustration will be based much on the images and symbolisms from Christianity of the Madonna and Child, but given a more common feeling, communicating that every birth, every mother and father are sacred and spiritual in nature. I don’t want to diminish the importance or symbolism of the historically sacred art, but rather draw from it to communicate the sacred and beautiful nature of these events.
The Craftsman’s Knot
The quest for knowledge and the necessity to work are themes in life that we all dedicate much time to. In Tibetan Buddhism, the “Endless knot”, one of the 8 auspicious symbols represents the quest for knowledge and wisdom. There is also a nice set of knot images that were created by Albrecht Dürer and possibly Leonardo DaVinci which were initially created to be symbols or “seals” of the craftsman.
The Knot of Death
This Knot represents the passing from this life into the next. The Knot represents the life and the connections that a person makes throughout their life. Life can be pictured as a giant knot that one has been struggling thier whole life to unravel, and death is solution, the return to chaos from the order of this existence. There are many fitting symbols and how the knot can relate to this. The illustration here will focus on the passing from one state of existence to the next. It will also focus on the fears and sorrows of those who continue to live, but will also focus on the joy and peace that comes to the individual who passes from this life into the next.
The Knot of Eternal Life
The end and final series of the knot images culminates in the presentation of Eternal Life. This image will echo the beginning work, and attempt to make a full circle where creation, life and death all lead to new creations. This illustration will emphasize the idea of “heaven” and “happiness” and nirvana. The Knot as a symbol is powerful for this. A knot can almost be viewed as a continuous mobius strip, connecting eternally in beautiful and complex ways. This piece, along with the Death Knot and the creation will be more mystical in nature as they represent events that we can only speculate about.