ARTIST STATEMENT

'Enduring Light' is a profound exploration into the paradoxical states of presence and absence, symbolizing an eternal bond with a core memory of comfort at its heart. It confronts the viewer with the essential question: How does profound love, when confronted with physical or cognitive loss, find a new and enduring form of expression?

The composition is framed within the torus, symbolizing unity and unending flow. Yet, the work’s microscopic architecture articulates the visceral reality of loss. The dense, deep roots of the central structure contain the documented, detailed journey of a father’s experience with stroke. Viewers are invited to observe the faint luminescence of the Purkinje cells contrasting with the subtle presence of bleeding veins, a quiet testament to fragility.

This visual narrative purposefully contrasts the documented physical pain with the transformative process of healing. The blue spiral embodies the cyclical nature of grief, while delicate climbing fibers (representing altered neural pathways) rise toward an affirmation of hope.

Artist: Martina Chandrakar
Work: Enduring Light
Year: 2025
Medium: Oil over acrylic on canvas in digital installation
Dimensions80 x 100 cm
Collection Status: Private Collection
Music (Composition): Mahler Symphony No. 5, IV. Adagietto
Composer: Gustav Mahler (PD)
Performer/Source: Peabody Symphony Orchestra
Music License: Creative Commons CC0 1.0 Universal Public Domain Dedication
Source Link: https://archive.org/details/Mahler_Symphony_5/04.PSO020103-Mahler-5-IV.mp3
Modifications: Track edited (Normalized, bass boosted, volume compressed) by Martina Chandrakar.