CHANMO KANG

West, East

Familiar with Western art, which he studied at university, Kang Chan Mo was also drawn to Western philosophy. He explored the complex relationship between form and line, color and space, yet something seemed missing. However, one cannot truly define what is lacking until one encounters what fills the void.

Western thought perceives lack as something to be grasped to achieve a stable unity in life. In contrast, Eastern philosophy, particularly Buddhism, sees lack not as something to be acquired but as a way of perceiving the world and one's relationship with the universe.

Western 20th-century art was shaped by phenomenology, where the artwork is seen through the horizon of consciousness. This encounter between self and world sometimes leads to ecstatic moments, described as a fusion of self and universe. The influence of Buddhism and Eastern philosophy in the 1960s, especially in the U.S., Britain, and France, brought new perspectives to Western artistic practices. Yet, it was in the East itself, after its post-WWII opening to the West, that a renewal of Eastern artistic thought emerged, exemplified by Kang Chan Mo.

Satori

In 2004, during a return to Buddhism and meditation, Kang Chan Mo traveled to the Himalayas. There, the vastness of the universe and the fragility of human existence converged, leading him to an inner realization—an experience akin to satori, or enlightenment. This transformed his artistic approach.

The Three Aspects of the Universe

His work now follows two main directions: one depicting towering Himalayan mountains, the other an explosion of cosmic colors, where vibrant hues form dreamlike, symbolic landscapes. Some paintings merge both dimensions, where meditative skies meet human aspirations.

The Great Circle of the Sky

Before the Himalayas, Kang Chan Mo's work expressed human suffering. His revelation allowed him to shift towards celebrating unity between sky and earth. His paintings became mandalas—tools for meditation and positive transformation. The colors he uses carry deep symbolic meaning, reflecting his spiritual journey.

Kang Chan Mo paints the absolute, revealing that the universe is our true home. Through his art, we experience timelessness, where mountains, sky, and humanity find harmony.