{"status":true,"msg":{"data":{"id":58394,"auction_id":121,"set_id":155,"lot_number":"28","artist":"Lao Lianben (b. 1948)","title":"Òm","starting_price":2000000,"signed_dated":"signed and dated 1977 (center)","medium":"oil on wood","size":"48\" x 48\" (122 cm x 122 cm)","property":null,"coa":null,"provenance":"Private collection, Manila","exhibited":null,"literature":null,"write_up":"A widely recognized spiritual symbol in Buddhism, Hinduism, and Jainism, the emblem of Òm can be deceptively simple in its appearance, yet it holds a profound meaning in its strokes. Its written form is among the most important symbols in the Hindu religion, and as a spoken syllable, it often represents a sacred sound, an invocation, or the start of a mantra. <br /><br />Through its enunciation, one can follow the universe’s cycle of life. Pronounced “a-u-m” following the older Vedic Sanskrit diphthong, each of the syllables presents different elements of the universe. The “A” signifies the beginning of creation, the “U” its continuation and preservation, and the “M” the ending or destruction that paves its way towards a new beginning. <br /><br />Together, they mirror the natural cycle of life; from birth to death, day to night, and the changing of the seasons. <br /><br />This kind of cyclical pattern is just what artist Lao Lianben seeks in his canvases. With works often washed over with a sense of calm, Lao also often draws inspiration from Zen Buddhism, a practice that he proclaimed to be intrigued by. <br /><br />“Zen Buddhism principles, practices, and mysticism have always fascinated me, [...] the image of Buddha is enigmatic – impregnable – quiet in form,” Lao says in an email interview with Lifestyle INQ. “When I observe monks in their daily way of life, they allow me to imagine and create stories in my head. My eyes enable me to form ideas and come up with motifs for my paintings.” <br /><br />This 1977 Òm finds its place comfortably amongst his minimalist works. With the canvas a near pitch black, the large circle, almost dominating the canvas, seems almost indiscernible. It reminds one of an ensō that he has used in some of his paintings, a symbol in Zen Buddhism representing enlightenment, emptiness, and the state of no-mind drawn in one swift brush stroke. <br /><br />However, it seems likely that it represents the cycle of life illustrated by Òm. It is the unchanging, impermanent, and infinite aspects of nature and of the universe; as one begins, another ends. Òm, in its entirety, is a complete story by itself; from creation to destruction, wakefulness and sleep, the phrase encapsulates it all. <br /><br />“What is remarkable about Lao Lianben is his ability to create works that function simultaneously on several levels: aesthetic, philosophical, spiritual, critical,” Hervé Lancelin wrote in his art critique ‘Lao Lianben and the Poetics of Obscurity.’ “He merges techniques to create an immediacy that directly evokes personal imagination, rather than an analytical reference to a particular style.” <br /><br />Indeed, his Òm portrays that classic Lao masterpiece that stuck with his patrons throughout the years. Even with such a deceptively blank canvas, the blackness in Lao’s pieces was never just decorative. They speak of the darkness where one hides their fears, a visual metaphor to impending spiritual illumination; in the case of Òm, it is also the moment of silence between the beginning and the end, a reprieve before another cycle takes its place in the universe. (Hannah Valiente)","lot_group":"PAINTING","lot_details_html":null,"alias":null,"hp":2000000,"bp":0.2016,"isWithdrawn":0,"accounting_hp":2000000,"userBid":null,"isPaid":0,"userId":22,"lot_status":"SOLD","isDone":1,"bid_history_id":null,"reserve_price":0,"hammer_price":2403200,"fav":0},"image":[{"id":63654,"img_url":"https://leongallery.sgp1.digitaloceanspaces.com/v2/auction/121/155/lot/28.jpg","isFeatured":1},{"id":64116,"img_url":"https://leongallery.sgp1.digitaloceanspaces.com/v2/auction/121/155/lot/28a.jpg","isFeatured":0},{"id":64114,"img_url":"https://leongallery.sgp1.digitaloceanspaces.com/v2/auction/121/155/lot/28b.jpg","isFeatured":0},{"id":64113,"img_url":"https://leongallery.sgp1.digitaloceanspaces.com/v2/auction/121/155/lot/28c.jpg","isFeatured":0}]},"increment":[2200000,2400000,2600000,2800000,3000000,3200000,3400000,3600000,3800000,4000000,4200000,4400000,4600000,4800000,5000000,5500000,6000000,6500000,7000000,7500000,8000000,8500000,9000000,9500000,10000000,11000000,12000000,13000000,14000000,15000000,16000000,17000000,18000000,19000000,20000000],"prev":27,"next":29,"count_bid":0,"bid_history":[],"tokenExpired":1}