Kean Onn See Black hole: ruthless preceptor of space and time

This carved woodblock was inspired by the unlikely intersection between black holes and the wrathful nature of the Buddhist and Hindu deity Mahākāla, known as the Great Black One and God of Time. Black holes and Mahākāla are terrifying oddities, presenting profound intellectual challenges to scholars of their time.

Guided by astrophysics, and leaning on the visual language of Tibetan thangka [scroll painting], I composed the artwork using the structure of a black hole and placed a mystic figure in the centre with the tools we deploy to explore the universe.

By embracing science and religion, this painting explores the story of humanity’s insatiable desire to understand the world around us.

Kean Onn See, 2023