Like most things, feng shui art has also moved along with the times and SOUL ART’s all-new contemporary feng shui art series, “The 5 Elements Collection” is certainly a breath of fresh air.
Unlike conventional feng shui art offerings in the market, this collection has been created using a modern art style that takes on more abstract dimensions and a more graphic look.
While the form of expression has been made more contemporary, this collection faithfully adheres to all the fundamentals of feng shui. Every single aspect of each piece meticulously conforms to feng shui principles - from the auspicious theme to the colours used, and even to the specific dimensions of each art piece as well. All the pieces in this collection have a measurement of 24 inches width and 32 inches height . Based on the feng shui ruler, 24 inches marks out “益利” or “Benefits” while 32 inches denotes “財至” or “Wealth Arriving”.
According to Johnson Koh, managing director of the Digiscan group, the company behind the SOUL ART Gallery in Bandar Manjalara, this collection was developed to fill a need in the market for feng shui art which could blend in better and have stronger design harmony with today’s modern homes and offices. Says Mr Koh, “While feng shui has caught on in a big way, especially in recent years, many enthusiasts have had difficulty reconciling the incongruence in aesthetics when you have to put a classical Chinese-style painting in a room done in modern or even avant garde style, and herein is the unique approach of the 5 Elements collection. With its contemporary art style, it strikes a stronger aesthetic harmony with the design style and “look and feel” of modern dwellings and work places. Also, especially in offices, some people may prefer a more discreet (but nonetheless, still effective) “feng shui manipulation”, and this collection would be just the solution in such instances.”
The 5 Elements collection comprises a series of 5 different pieces, with one dedicated to each of the 5 elements – Metal, Wood, Water, Fire and Wood. The 5 elements are the primordial forces inherent in all matter and dynamics in the universe and form the important conceptual framework underpinning Chinese astrology and feng shui.
Each piece has been created with a special auspicious theme and the subject is interpreted and brought to life using the various characteristics of the particular element. The “A” list of these auspicious themes are “Ascension” (昇), “Advancement” (進),”Achievement” (成),” Amplification”(擴) and ”Abundance” (豐) and they respectively represent the elements of Metal, Wood, Water, Fire and Earth.
In “Ascension” (metal element), we see a depiction of 9 silver discs rising and progressively growing bigger and bigger (the metal element’s colour is silver, its shape is round and its number 9) and this is a highly auspicious symbolism of continuously moving up and attaining greater success with each progressive stage.
For the Wood element (“Advancement”), we see the theme creatively dramatized by the rich, vibrant graphic foliage reaching to the skies, brimming with fresh, vital energy, clearly and confidently demonstrating the notion of moving forward with strong, healthy growth. “Achievement” is the highly apt title for the water element and this theme is captured as smooth, upward-spiraling aquatic streams which connote continuous achievement which comes smoothly. While this piece has aesthetic drama, it also carries a certain tranquility, thus rounding off achievement with contentment as well.
“Amplification” exudes the sheer energy of the fire element and the theme conveys the multiplying effect of rays of positive chi moving in unison and converging at the pinnacle. Stepping back and visually embracing the whole picture, we can identify a glowing flame motif. This represents “prospects shining brightly” and good things being multiplied several fold.
Finally, the earth element takes on the auspicious theme of “Abundance” and this is clearly obvious in the matrix of 8 squares (representing period 8) in distinct earth colours of yellow and brownish hues.
So how would one use the pieces in this collection as powerful enhancers? The simplest way is to use the Eight Aspirations method to enhance the various types of luck associated with the 8 main directions of the Pa Kua. For example, North represents Career Luck, so you can enhance the North sector with “Achievement”, Water Element piece.
For those with a more advanced understanding of feng shui, you can also apply the principles of the constructive or growth cycle and the destructive or controlling cycle when you are deciding on how to best make the use of these enhancers.
If you are moving into a new house or office, or you just want to enhance your current feng shui luck with a more contemporary version of a traditional application, do check out the “5 Elements collection.” It is modern, unique and aesthetically very pleasing.
The collection can be viewed at: SOUL ART Gallery (26, Jalan 4/62A, Bandar Manjalara, 52200 Kuala Lumpur, MALAYSIA)
Tel : + 603-6273-6386 or log on to: www.soulart.com.my
The following article is taken from the "Feng Shui World (May/June 2008)". To subscribe, please click here.