MAY 22ND, 2021
It is rare to find a young artist with a perspective and wisdom like Stephen Lotus; but maybe it is that wisdom that makes individuals become artists.
Stephen’s most recent work over the last year has a strong visual essence relating to space, cosmos and meteors. His art signifies a search for something beyond, something bigger than us all.
When asked about what his art means his answer is simple, “I’m not sure. I think I’m just exploring myself.”
We all search for meaning in our lives, purpose and answers. We strive to achieve enlightenment and personal growth. Many writers spend their lives exploring the purpose of humanity. Artists uses songs, images and a variety of mediums to express what they feel should have value in our lives. Scientists send rockets to the deep reaches of space to find answers or to find others that have insight to this existence.
Stephen’s imagery and the exploration of space are perfect metaphors for his personal viewpoint and understanding. We look to the stars for inspiration and meaning; literal guidance in the days of exploration, tracking stars to find our way across oceans. We send astronauts, satellites and radio signals to explore the darkness. Like a satellite careening out to the depths of the universe to pick up new information, such is Stephen’s view on life.
We are stardust brought to life, then empowered by the universe to figure itself out – and we have only just begun. - Neil DeGrasse Tyson
The Journey, Not the Destination
Cliches are problematic. They are used to over simplify complex ideas and sell coffee mugs. However, we forgot that they become cliches because of a conveyance of a universal message that carries a fundamental truth. The journey not the destination is the fundamental truth in Stephen Lotus’s work being explored literally in his creative process and in the finished product.
Stephen views his style a path of discovery pointing to art he created even just a year ago looking completely different than what he expresses now. And, while there is a freedom to his work there remains a sense of control, order or even formula to each work.
Stephen titles many of his works using alliteration (the repetition of sounds). Firestorm Fleurs above and Butterfly Bellatrix below showcase this. The repeating sound make the work seem familiar and comfortable but also formulaic. Using a formula makes sense for an artist that formerly attended college to study mechanical engineering because they enjoyed math.
Perhaps the shifting career goals is how Stephen gained the wisdom that the destination may change but the experiences along the way are what remain constant. In a world of constant flux and change there remains fundamentals, formulas and order in all of the universe.
A cliche in the hands of an office manager trying to relate to an employee while also trying to maintain superficiality is worthless. Put that same cliche in the hands of an artist like Stephen and it can transform our perception of life.
Traveling at the speed of light, billions of miles away, in the vast outreaches of space are pieces of stardust, depicted in Stephen’s art, careening towards us to be reunited with the stardust that is within us or others; the destination always unknown but frankly, irrelevant.
