Another from my Two Moons series of paintings.
This one is called Untangling the red string of fate. The working title was Untangling the skein of fate, but I thought this version would work better for most people even though it slightly detracts from my original meaning and intentions with the piece.
Whatever… haha, it works.
Measurements are 18″ wide x 24″ high on stretched canvas done in acrylics.
With “Untangling the red string of fate” I am exploring the idea of how one person may be the catalyst of untangling the string of fate.
The legend of the red string is very old and originates in Asia. In it’s simplest form it is thought of as an invisible red cord/string/thread usually tied around the fingers or ankles of those that are destined to meet one another in a certain situation as they are “their true loves”. The cord can be very tangled and interwoven with many other threads of fate, but it can never break or be severed. It only connects the two people if followed to it’s end.
It is a cool, but messed up concept all at the same time because the two people connected by the red cord/string/thread are destined lovers, regardless of place, time, or circumstances. So one could be a 40-year-old married woman with six kids living a decent life all chill’n and whatnot, while the other could be some 25-year-old dude in another country who speaks another language and hates the idea of kids of marriage in general. The dude could even be gay. It doesn’t even matter… they are destined. Sounds messy, but it must also be taken into consideration that true happiness doesn’t come from material possessions and long-term fulfillment can’t be fully met by achievements or social status. We each have our destinies to fulfill. If your red string is all tangled and stretched out because you’ve not joined with your other there will be something missing. You will feel it either consciously or subconsciously, but it is there. So in that way it is cool. It will bring you to your chance at fulfillment. How you deal with that chance is an entirely different matter. You may F it up.
Why Red? Well, in western culture we often associate white with purity, virtue, and honor so white would seem more symbolic of the nature here, but again, this idea originates in Asia. China, then Japan, then a few other places with the mythology and legends slightly altering as it spread. Red for those areas symbolizes happiness. It is also associated with love and marriage. This thread of fate is even referred to as the Red Thread of Marriage sometimes in China. Besides being a symbol and bringer of happiness the color red supposedly brings luck, vitality, and fertility in Chinese color symbolism. Red is also their old-school traditional wedding color.
I’ve gone on long enough.
You can get prints of this painting HERE.
I also did a sweet digital remix of it which you can view (and get if you like) on Society6 HERE.
If you’ve not followed your own string I hope someday it may untangle and bring you whatever goodness it has in store for you.
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