2018 Catalogue Archive

In his Bhavanga series, Canadian-born, California-based artist James Verbicky carefully lays down strips of hand-painted canvas in a horizontal composition. In Bhavanga 18, patterns, references to classicism and antiquity, and bits of language appear throughout. In some branches of Buddhism, “bhavanga” is a term describing a state of mind emptied of conscious thought, at times defined as “sub-conscious.” Phrases connected to thought and existence are woven throughout the piece, suggesting the artist hopes to conjure a more meditative state of mind among the chaos of modern life. Verbicky’s work has been included in exhibitions in Europe, Asia, and the US.