Kristy Gordon
As Above So Below, 2023
oil on canvas
50"x30"
 
As Above So Below reimagines a vertical cosmology inspired by art historical altarpieces, unfolding the upper, middle, and lower worlds as interconnected states of awareness. The composition reads as a map of the mind: the upper realm suggesting intuition, imagination, and expanded consciousness; the middle ground reflecting lived experience and collective life; and the lower world evoking memory, instinct, and creative potential. Rather than a place of punishment, the underworld becomes fertile terrain‚ alive with roots, symbols, and regeneration. Blending personal mythology with philosophical inquiry, the painting invites viewers to see transformation not as descent, but as integration, where insight flows freely between all levels of being.