Tim Johnson

Like a mandala, Dhyani Buddhas, 2001, is a gesture towards infinity, an articulation of space whose ‘nature is empty and because it is empty it can contain and embrace everything’ (Lama Anagarika Govinda, Foundations of Tibetan Mysticism, York Beach, Maine, 1969, p. 1). It synthesises cultural and visual systems whose meaning we do not necessarily recognise or understand. Like many of Tim Johnson’s paintings, its intelligibility is more like that of a dream, in which everything is potentially significant and we feel at ease to connect anything to everything.

Linda Michael
Excerpt from exhibition catalogue

Tim Johnson
Australia 1947
(assisted by Karma Phuntsok, My Le Thi and Daniel Bogunovic)
Dhyani Buddhas, 2001
synthetic polymer paint on linen
198.0 x 823.5 cm
Courtesy of the Kerry Stokes Collection, Perth