Here's the sequence for Li and K'an
(K'an is still in process - the paint is now so thick I am not sure it will ever dry!)
The painting surface is divided into eight equal segments and four evenly spaced concentric circles.
The concentric circles are further divided to reflect a cumulative sequence of choices:
Inner Circle = No Choice = Unity = Undivided
Second Circle = First Choice = Semicircles = Halved
Third Circle = Second Choice = Quadrants = Thirds
Fourth Circle = Third Chice = Octants = Quartered
n.b. the number of segments represents the number of possibilities arising from successive binary choices.
The number of rings represents the number of choices made (which is also the number of trigrams).
Colors are keyed to the eight possible trigrams i.e. the possible combinations of broken and unbroken lines (or, in modern parlance, circuits).
Movement from one color/trigram to the next is by adding a new upper line and discarding the lowest line. This is why there are only four movement patterns - the bottom line of the trigram is not counted so in fact you are only looking at the logical possibilities of two lines:
On On
On Off
Off On
Off Off
Bugger - here's the next dilemma:
Tui looks better rotated - but when I did this digitally I accidentaly cropped the square to an octagon.
Of course these should be octagons - but shouldn't the rotation be colors at edges rather than corners?
above) Two paintings with the same form
below) Two paintings as mirror images
(option c is for you to make up!)
(. . . I am starting to think that the same form shows the differences more clearly - but the mirror is philosopically appealing . . . )
