While I am Dead - A Prelude to Life

The ten photos here are part of a series called While I am Dead - A Prelude to Life, which metaphorically depicts the stage of death in the Buddhist cycle of life before reincarnated to be reborn. They are self-portraits during nearly a decade of absence from my practice in the art world. The images are my encounters in museums, my home, the backyard, and train transit. Seemingly mundane, the subjects are not about them; rather, they are my contemplative state allowing me to see myself during my living hibernation as an artist. I would often roam around my home from corner to corner, seeking evidence in light. Sometimes I would visit the museums and see my "past life." Museum visits became sentimental as if I were visiting the deceased, only to hear exhibited artworks quietly whispering for my return. The museum became a space for meditation, where I would play with ideas among the displayed works, empty spaces, and unobserved corners. I hope to allow my karma to sustain its effort to evolve to the next stage of life through this therapeutic journey.