Facing Nimitta 2024

Just as a lathe worker fixes their gaze with unwavering precision on a single point of contact—chiseling the wooden spindle as it spins in continuous motion—the meditator focuses one-pointedly at the “entrance spot,” while the breath flows ceaselessly past. This act of sustained attention gives rise to the nimitta—a mark or sign by which inner objects of meditation become perceptible. With this Buddhist meditation technique, the nimitta is not the object itself but a reflex image, a luminous byproduct of concentrated awareness. It is both a sign that the practice is deepening and a target for refined focus. Yet, paradoxically, it can also be bypassed entirely—it is not the goal.

Facing Nimitta 2024 is a series of paintings created on reclaimed Japanese art book dust covers. These works emerge from the same spirit of meditative concentration. Each painting arises from a state of mindfulness, echoing the way nimitta reveals itself when the dust of distraction settles and clarity begins to shine through. The dust cover itself—a transitional object, both protective and ephemeral—holds symbolic weight. By deliberately separating its front and reverse sides, I have created dual images that speak to the duality inherent in perception: the seen and unseen, the form and its shadow, the external sign and its internal meaning. In this way, each piece becomes a visual nimitta—both an echo of concentration and an invitation into deeper seeing.