I call this painting The Knot of Self, because it is about how the self is not really separate from everything else around it. It exists, but it is contingent on, and kind of composed of everything around it, as well. Its ideas and notions are received from somewhere else, and when you are thinking about something, then the current contents of your mind are composed of those “outside” elements.

This is the Buddhist notion of “emptiness”. The self is empty of any permanent, separate essence, but at the same time, does exist and is full of, is not separated from, everything else in the universe. And if we could realize this fully, we would be freed from all fear and suffering, according to Buddhism.