ZVENIGOROD

("The City Of Craftsmen")
Association of Altai Artists

     Here we represent the spiritual paintings of the members of "Zvenigorod" ("The City of Craftsmen") association of Altai artists Pukliakov Eduard, Spirina Galina and Spirin Vladimir. Altai mountain land is situated in East Siberia, Russia, Republic of Altai. This land was visited many times by famous Russian artist, philosophist and writer Nikolai Roerikh, whose influence (as well as another philosophist Elena Blavatskaya one) on the artists allows them to create the paintings which incorporate ideas of both Western and Eastern philosophies and art's traditions. Unique feature of these paintings is that they were created as a result of collective meditation and immersion the painter in the state of trance...

"Cross of The Life"

The pure representation of the guideline idea - "East meets West".

Color pencils, matte paper. 62x86 cm (27,6x33,9").

"Fiery Dharma of Maitreya"

Maitreya - the last Buddha ("Buddha of The Future") who is expected to come to the Earth from Tushita Heaven when 4,000 years after the disappearance of Buddha Gautam (Buddha Sakyamuni) will be left. Dharma is the other name for Buddhism Doctrine and the same time, the natural law which defines the total harmony of your life in Hinduism.

Color pencils, matte paper. 62x86 cm (27,6x33,9").

"Shining City of Jerusalem"

The motives of old-style Russian paintings (both iconographic and civil art) are clearly seen in this picture, as well as influence of Nikolai Roerikh (look at the "ladia" - the boat - at the very bottom).

Color pencils, matte paper. 59x84 cm (23,2x33").

"Kalachakra"

Kalachakra is Yi-Dam (god-protector) who turns the wheel of life and therefore sometimes is painted as this wheel. The image is using for the same purposes as Mandala.

Water-colour, matte paper. 76x58 cm (29,9x22,8").

"Kalki Avatar on White Horse"

"...And at the end of Dark Ages the Kalki Avatar will appear... He will restore the fairness on the Earth... When the Sun, the Moon, the Tishya and the Jupiter will stay together, the Satia - the White Age - will come back." ("The Vishnu Purani").

Color pencils, matte paper. 61x86 cm (24x33,9").

Mandala

The classic attribute for Tantric meditation. Literally means "circle" and represents the "Palace of Purity", a magic sphere cleansed of spiritual obstacles and impurities. It is an visual aid for concentration and introvertive meditation leading to the attaintment of insights and to activation of "Siddhi" supernatural forces.

Color pencils, matte paper. 83x59 cm (32,7x23,2").

"The Mystery of Incarnation"

Incarnation (or reincarnation) - one of the basic ideas of Hiduism and Buddhism - means, as a draft, the moving of the soul from one subject to another after the physical death of the 1st one following the law of karma. The break of the circle of reincarnation and reaching the nirvana or moksha is the goal for any followers of both doctrines.

Color pencils, matte paper. 62x86 cm (24,4x33,9").

"The Teachers of the Mankind"

Buddha Sakyamuni (bottom), Zaratustra (left), Jesus Christ (right), Buddha Maitreya - Buddha of The Future (top). Represents the continuity of the transfer of The Doctrine to the mankind.

Color pencils, matte paper. 60x80 cm (23,62x31,5").

"Vajra - the Heart of the East"

Vajra literally means "thunderbolt", which destroys all kinds of ignorance. When two Vajras are crossed as shown here, it becomes the Viswa Vajra - the emblem of Amoghasiddhi. In Buddhist Tantra Viswa Vajra generally designates Sunya or Void which destroys all the evils but itself cannot be destroyed. It represents the male principle as well (the bell - the female one).

Color pencils, matte paper. 61x86 cm (24x33,9").