ensō phase II continues to unravel the philosophy behind Buddhist motifs and lore, serving as the sequel in the series.
Developed between 2023 - 2024, this collection mirrors phase I with four 1/1 edition animated artworks.
Sound design is created in collaboration with Vancouver based artist Jason Liang.
Phase II premieres alongside phase I at our inaugural public exhibition in Vancouver, BC.
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ensō : phase II
a certain darkness I carry
reminds me…
behind every beautiful thing
exists some kind of pain
like moths to a flame
all lost souls are consumed
by their desires…
but for a man lost in the dark
a single ember can light a path
approach it and theres no beginning
follow it and theres no end
just as a snake sheds its skin
we shed our past over and over again.
• Edition: 1/1
• Individually hand - painted frames
• 1080 x 1920 pixels
• 0:45 seconds
annihilation
My flesh
grows heavy
with the scent of ash and embers
in the violent inferno
a cold wind blows
bones shudder
like the wings of a newborn moth
a moment of calm between storms
my shadow wanders
over dusk lit valleys
lies a hidden spring.
Fire, in many eastern traditions symbolizes purification. It can be a transformative catalyst; illuminating a path toward inner harmony and transcendence.
• Edition: 1/1
• 1080 x 1920 pixels
• 0:30 seconds
limbo
Ash
adrift
into autumn waters
within the vast and empty
a black sky roars
here
beauty and horror
echo
like ripples on a darkening shore
without tears
a hollow cry
I hold them in
until it rains.
A metaphorical gateway, central to the journey towards enlightenment. Here, we descend to the depths of our inner antagonist; a shadow standing between adversity and our redemption.
• Edition: 1/1
• 1080 x 1920 pixels
• 0:30 seconds
continuum
Encased in winter
the serpent
devours it own tail
eclipsed in silence
an abyss
beyond this veil
only truth
life and death are one
an endless spiral
of decay and renewal.
A potent emblem of wisdom and renewal, the serpent is equally feared and admired. The symbol of the ouroboros encapsulates an eternal cycle of destruction and re-creation - a universal wholeness and endless return of order from chaos.
• Edition: 1/1
• 1080 x 1920 pixels
• 0:30 seconds
Collection
The narrative behind phase II loosely reference Dante Alighieri’s 14th century Divine manuscripts - Inferno, Purgatorio and Paradiso.
Each artwork is presented in a physical 21.5” digital display, and once collected, will be authenticated on-chain as ERC-721 NFT’s.
Process
ensō : phase II comprises hundreds of individually hand painted frames. Introduced as the second act of the ensō short film, it examines Buddhist Zen concepts, mythology and philosophy.
The 3D animations were inspired by the visual motifs in the short film ensō : phase II, and the main concept was informed by EKS.REI’s original painting of a meditative figure titled “Shadows in Ember” (2021). A combination of modern visual effects techniques were utilized in the process, and rendered with Houdini FX and Redshift.