Title: North American Yin Yang
Artist: Matt Ballantyne
Medium: Acrylic on Canvas
Artist’s note: In Chinese philosophy the Yin Yang represents two opposing but complementary principles or cosmic forces said to be found in all objects and processes in the universe. Balance, inner peace, call it what you will. In the rushed North American culture our struggle for balance often starts by putting things in boxes. We add borders and limitations in order to keep things neat and organized. Often times, when our design does not come out as planned we start again instead of pushing past. Finally we settle. We wrap the whole thing up with a red bow in order to appeal to the masses and proclaim ourselves content. Then someone comes along and says: “Looks like eight pieces of canvas screwed together and covered with red, white and black paint to me…”