Lyndi Sales

Notes

Inbound was part of a series of works made associated with the Moth to a Flame series of works

The Moth to a Flame series evokes the form of a kite. The work operates as a metaphor for flight and journey, referencing the Buddhist concept of the Bardo. In Buddhist theory, Bardo describes the 49-day period following death during which the soul travels before reincarnating in another form.

This body of work is closely linked to Lyndi Sales’ research into near-death experiences and the human impulse to apprehend and transcend death through various means, including meditation practices, lucid dreaming, and the use of plant medicine. Moth to a Flame also draws inspiration from the idea of the “light at the end of the tunnel,” frequently described in the testimonies of those who have undergone near-death experiences.

This piece is a derivative of two earlier works titled Inbound and Outbound, which were likewise informed by the Buddhist theory of the Bardo. Within this belief system, the Bardo is understood as an intermediate or transitional state that the soul passes through after death. Buddhists believe this period lasts 49 days and represents a fragile and uncertain time for the soul as it moves toward its next destination.

The kite-like form of the artworks reinforces themes of flight, transition, and journey. The title Moth to a Flame suggests an unseen danger, a looming threat of which the moth remains unaware. Drawn irresistibly toward the flame, the moth becomes hypnotised, moving ever closer until it ultimately disappears.

The Tibetan concept of the Bardo arose shortly after the Buddha’s passing and is traditionally understood as the state of existence between two lives. According to Tibetan teachings, after death and before rebirth, consciousness is no longer connected to a physical body and encounters a sequence of experiences. These range from moments of clarity and insight to increasingly frightening hallucinations shaped by past actions. For those who are prepared, the Bardo offers the potential for liberation through direct insight into reality. For others, it can become a place of danger, as karmically generated visions may lead toward an undesirable rebirth.

The term Bardo can also be used metaphorically to describe periods in which ordinary life is suspended, such as during illness or a meditation retreat. These moments can be fertile ground for spiritual growth, as external constraints diminish, but they may also bring challenges, allowing less skilful impulses to surface.

Thanks to Lyndi Sales for assistance in the cataloguing of this lot.

Provenance

WHATIFTHEWORLD, Cape Town.

Property of a Gentleman.