Andrew Kirchner – “The Wisdom of Hospitality”

This piece is a mandala, which is a geometric arrangement of symbols. It is made using acrylic paints and seeks to represent two virtues: hospitality and wisdom. It was made with concentric circles and symbols, both found and created. I used an analogous color scheme, which included colors next to one another on the color wheel. I used yellow, green, and blue, all in many different shades. One found symbol for hospitality is the pineapple, which is the one element that is not repeated and is instead the centerpiece with the stem pointing up. One may notice that inside the pineapple, above the moon, are many illustrations of chicken feet, which is a delicacy from my Chinese culture. A created symbol of hospitality is the bell, which I painted on the mandala because it is used to announce the commencement of a special meal in my household. A found symbol of wisdom is the moon, which is painted in a delicate, light yellow with gray spots. A created symbol for wisdom is The Thinker by Auguste Rodin, which highlights my affiliation with San Francisco. The figure is in dark green and is sitting on a pastel green pedestal. This mandala is a representation of how hospitality and wisdom are intertwined in my life. I believe welcoming people into my home and giving others comfort is a way to become a better and wiser person because paying attention to others and performing small acts of kindness are a way to wisdom.