The title of Miya Ando’s Equanimity (Meditations) exhibition evokes mental calmness, composure, and evenness of temper, especially in difficult situations. For Ando, in this singular time, calm and solace are crucial. Her art encourages the viewer to look beyond appearances and assumes a fresh meaning not necessarily intended at the outset of its creation. “It reminds us of the transitory nature of all things in life,” says Ando. “I’m also interested in drawing people into a slowed-down environment, especially in this current period of uncertainty. These works are inspired by sunrise and the dawning of a new day. My hope is that the experiential nature of the paintings will create an opportunity, or a suggestion, for viewers to become aware of the present moment.”

The foundation of Ando’s practice is the transformation of surfaces. In this exhibition, she produces light-reflecting gradients on her metal paintings by applying heat, sandpaper, grinders, acid, and patinas, irrevocably altering the material’s chemical properties. By an almost meditative daily repetition of these techniques, she is able to subtract, reduce, and distill her concept until it reaches its simplest form, conjuring presence from absence.

For Ando, a practicing Buddhist, the paradoxical pairing of metal with spiritual subject matter is intentional. Her art is an exploration into the duality of this material and its ability to convey strength and permanence, yet in the same instance, to absorb shifting color and capture the fleeting essence of light. The paradox inherent in her work–using metallurgy to advance ideas about ephemerality and time–has been beautifully realized in this group of paintings. These new works shift in coloration and offer various perspectives depending on the time of day, seasons, and conditions of a space.

Words and images via Nancy Toomey Fine Art.