455: The Intimacy of Art and the Dharma

Today we meet three Buddhists with a full time professional painting practice, exhibiting at The Art Pavilion in Mile End Eco Park. And we’re treated to a generous and intimate conversation about the tensions and creative dynamics between an explicitly artistic life and an implicitly spiritual, even religious one. All in context of shared joy at exhibiting openly as Buddhists in a beautiful space surrounded by and inflected with nature. We explore the relationship between the values of Buddhism and the values of contemporary art – and between what we call ‘mindfulness’ and the actual work of painting, making marks, building things that somehow capture a spirit or an attitude to life. Intuitive, sometimes faltering discovery is part of it; so is awareness of impermanence, grief and death; so is something in its own way ‘multi-dimensional’. We tap into the “more than human” that again takes us back towards multiplicity in nature rather than away from it. Heck, we even work in A.I. (of course we do!).This is all reflected and refracted through discussions around perspective, scale, layering, abstraction, breadth and depth, mixing, the materials painting is born from—linen, canvas, oil paint—and the mysterious resonance found at the softening, porous, reflective boundary between colour and form. It’s clear our three friends live out a practice where beauty and letting go is an adequate, even sometimes freeing response to suffering, at least some of the time. And there are the aches of aging and the accepting of limitations even as a sense of vital discovery and unfolding is still so strong. What comes through is how much their intention matters – to pay attention to, tune into, reality itself. Talking about painting may not be as much fun or as strong as standing in front of work and trying to see it, but it is possibly better than viewing reproductions! It was a privilege to be in this conversation with three deeply committed beings, artists and Dharma practitioners. And the world is that little bit brighter and more realised through their work.Produced and presented by Candradasa, edited by Zac Pomphrey and CandradasaShow Notes 'Painting Now' - a group show featuring Clare Barton-Harvey (Amitajyoti), Abhayavajra and Hugh Mendes (Paramabodhi) held in London 2-12th October 2025 at the Art Pavilion, Clinton Road, London, E3 4QY.  More information about ‘Painting Now’ 🎨 The Art Pavilion in Mile End Eco Park 🎨 Parambodhi / Hugh Mendes' talk from 'Painting Now' 🖥️ Artists interview: Clare Barton-Harvey (Amitajyoti) in conversation with Bob Matthews 🖥️ Explore the work of Paramabodhi (Hugh Mendes) and watch the accompanying film about the Buddhist aspects of his work  🖥️ Clare Barton-Harvey (Amitajyoti) online 🖥️ Abhayavajra online 🎧 The Heart of Imagination in Buddhism (with Amitajyoti and Vishvapani) 🎧 The Impermanence of Everyone: The Art of Hugh Mendes (Paramabodhi) 🎧 Painting Into Reality (with Abhayavajra) ⚜️ The Alchemical Heart (Home Retreat & series of talks by Paramananda) 🧘 Alfoxton Park Retreat Centre (Buddhism + Arts) 📷 The work of Francesca Woodman  🪴 Derek Jarman's garden at Dungeness  🏛️ The Met Museum Archives, New York ***Visit The Buddhist Centre Live (events year-round on Buddhism, mindfulness, meditation, and culture)Come meditate with us online six days a week!Theme music by Ackport! Used with kind permission.