Labyrinths 1993

In 1993 I visited Chartres Cathedral in France and was intrigued by the most famous Christian labyrinth is found at this Cathedral , which was built in the 13th century. The labyrinth at Chartres is circular in shape and consists of eleven concentric circles with a single path that winds its way to the center. It is thought to represent the journey of the soul from the outer world to the inner world, and back again.
The labyrinth is a symbol that has been used throughout history and across cultures to represent the journey of life, the spiritual quest, and the search for self-knowledge.
In Greek mythology, the most famous labyrinth was built by Daedalus for King Minos of Crete to imprison the Minotaur, a creature with the body of a man and the head of a bull. The labyrinth was designed to be so intricate that no one could find their way out, except for Theseus, who was aided by Ariadne's thread.
In the Christian tradition, labyrinths were used as a substitute for pilgrimage to Jerusalem, which was difficult and dangerous during the Middle Ages.
The labyrinth is also a symbol of unity, wholeness, and the interconnectedness of all things. It is often associated with the concept of the "hero's journey," in which the protagonist sets out on a quest, faces trials and challenges, and returns home transformed. In this sense, the labyrinth represents the journey of the soul towards enlightenment, and the path towards integration and wholeness.
In my paintings, I explored the deeper meaning of the labyrinth as a symbol of the spiritual journey and the search for self-knowledge. The painting with the head in the center represents the discovery of the self, while the paintings with the doors in the background suggest the many paths that one can take on this journey. In one of the labyrinth paintings I painted the goddess of the sky and the heavens Noet, around the labyrinth. In ancient Egyptian mythology, Noet (also spelled Nut or Nuit) was often depicted as a woman arched over the earth, with her feet and hands touching the ground and her body forming a canopy over the world. It was believed that she swallowed the sun at night and gave birth to it every morning, and that the stars were like jewels in her body.
Noet was one of the oldest and most important deities in the Egyptian pantheon, and was associated with protection, rebirth, and regeneration. Her worship dates back to the earliest periods of Egyptian history, and her image appears in many ancient texts and inscriptions. In some traditions, she was also associated with fertility and motherhood, and was often depicted nursing the pharaoh or other important figures.
Overall, Noet was a powerful and influential figure in ancient Egyptian religion and mythology, and her role as the goddess of the sky and heavens was central to the Egyptian conception of the cosmos and the divine.