My latest collage artwork – “Sri Krishna” – minted as NFT on Hive blockchain

I simply adore this latest collage creation because the subject matter is the god Krishna, as found in the ancient Sanskrit Vedas of India. Here, in an artist’s painted image, which I took from a magazine photo (call me a pirate if you wish) Krishna is depicted as he is described in the Vedas, with yellow garments, dark blue complexion, peacock feather in his hair, carrying a flute and garlanded with flowers.

As usual I have cut and pasted various pictures from magazines using scissors and glue, to make up this paper collage, which is slightly larger than A4. I then scanned it to upload onto my computer and then mint it as an NFT at my gallery which you can see at www.nftshowroom.com/julianhorack.

Using artistic licence, I added a silver chalice in Krishna’s hand, as if he is carrying the holy grail. Krishna is flanked by two dragons while also the dragon body is at his feet acting as stepping stones upon which he walks for support. In the traditional Vedic art depicting Krishna, one will often see behind him the multi-headed serpent called “Ananta Shesha”. All Vishnu or Krishna deities, including the Buddha, are traditionally depicted in the Vedic artistic impressions as being supported by such serpent carriers. These are described in the ancient Sanskrit texts as the first expansion of the chief deity Vishnu or Krishna and all his other avatars like Buddha.

The image appears to show the chalice being tasted by the one serpent/dragon. Or is the serpent filling the cup as opposed to drinking from it? You can interpret it either way. The other dragon is holding within his mouth a silver coin, alluding to the ancient Chinese symbol of the dragon pearl, the treasure sometimes seen in the mouth of the dragon. This balance of silver cup and coin flanking Krishna in the mouths of the dragons, is reminiscent of the Tarot cards and is also symbolic of the treasures both spiritual and material that are available.

There are yellow stalks on either side of the central figure, and if you look closely you will see that they are comprised of texts from the ancient Sanskrit Veda called Bhagavat Purana or Srimad Bhagavatam, which glorify the god Krishna as the supreme deity. At the very top of the picture you can see in the center the exact verses identified, namely those from canto 2:4:25-16 as spoken by the mystic sage Sukadeva Goswami. This text is said to date back about 5000 years, from when the god Krishna was said to walk the planet for a time. It is correlated to the Mahabharata and Bhagavad Gita, which share details of the pastimes of Krishna back then.

Also, in the lower section of the picture, one can see on the burnt orange background how some ancient text is also shown. The overall impression generated by the image looks like the Impressionist paintings of the late nineteenth century, where details are blurred in favor of the overall image. By looking at the picture as a whole, the eye appears to see a landscape backdrop, with earthy ground colors below and sky filled with trees or clouds above. In the middle appears some gold which could be wheat fields. Similarly the yellow stalks of texts could also be wheat.

Although almost hidden, you can also see two dogs, one on either side of the central figure’s legs, reminiscent of the Tarot card called The Fool, which is the card symbolizing pure spirit. The four corners of the image are filled with jewelry for embellishment and this particular collage is nicely framed with a border for a change, which helps to contain the impressionist backdrop. The overall image gives the impression not only of an Impressionist Mattise or Monet, but also a Post-Impressionist Van Gogh, especially the blue sky, which reminds me of his “Starry Night”.

This collage comprises of my favorite esoteric and mystical subject matter, since it depicts the god Krishna with the serpent dragons and displays some Sanskrit Vedic text. The symbolism is rich in esoteric meaning and the overall colors are also rich. The impression is – as with many of my collages – one of opulence, wealth, richness and abundance. As to what you construe as real wealth...that may differ from one person to the next. Some see gold and gems and money as wealth while others see those as symbols of other more mystical treasures available to the yogi and meditator who contemplates the nature of the absolute, the deity or the godhead.

I’m minting this collage as an NFT (non-fungible token) on the Hive blockchain with only two editions, one of which is for sale and one which I keep for my portfolio and gallery collection. This one will be priced a bit higher than others since it is so valuable to me. I don’t make these artworks with the expectation of selling them, especially since some may think I have plagiarized other pictures to make these collages. I’m not worried about sales or reputation. I simply create collages as a passion for the love of it and for the love of communicating my own personal insights as symbolized in the images that manifest. All of my collages are expressions of my own personality, so you can see where my head is by looking at my collage NFTs.

(image my own)