The Enigma of Venus

54″h x 54″w x 2″
© PJ Bergin
$8000

Mulberry Paper (Hanji), Acrylic, Manga, Newsprint, Sumi-E Ink, Encaustic medium

Inspiration for this artwork came from “The Planets” by Gustav Holst. The music Holst wrote for Venus is slow and ethereal, befitting the Roman goddess of love and “Bringer of Peace.” I incorporated several Asian calligraphy characters reflecting this theme, along with the symbol for Venus and the Chinese character for love. I was drawn to colors of mulberry paper that are soothing and relaxing, hues likely to be seen in a sunrise or sunset when the planet Venus is visible in the sky.

Joomchi is a 500-year-old Korean technique using water to fuse several layers of handmade mulberry papers (Hanji) together. After the Hanji is dry and the artwork is finished a thin layer of encaustic medium is painted over the surface to add depth and dimension to the colors and texture.

Ready for Hanging. A custom metal bracket is included for easy installation. It gives the artwork the illusion of floating off the wall forming unique shadows and reflection