“The Hanging Lotus Garden” is a public commission work installed at Danderyd Hospital, Stockholm, in 2019.
It consists of two separate artwork also made by the print on lens technic. It is 32 meters in height and 80 cm wide. The artwork continues through two sides of stairs on four floors of the new hospital building. There are two artwork on each floor.
Each artwork consists of complexes artistic design based on raw materials created for this specific project. The raw material consisted of paintings, photographs, monotypes and geometric designs. The design keeps its continuity and character through the whole 32 meters by preserving the harmony in colours and patterns.
From the outside, on each side of the building, you will see an artwork that is 16 meters high as one piece. And from inside, you will see eight separate units that together are 32 meters.
One of the main characteristics of The Hanging Lotus Garden is its optical illusion. It resembles the sky's reflection, lotus flower and other elements in the design in an imaginary pond.
By amalgamating the natural colors of the lotus petals, the green of the floating leaves, the blues of pound, the light in the background and use of the Persian architectural geometry, which defines the obstruct shape of lotuses in the forefront of my art, I have shaped my artistic design.
In my design, I have tried to show the connection between nature and the human spirit, our emotional attachment to natural beauties, its effect on our mental health, feelings and its positiveness on rehabilitation proses.
Reflection Is the key embedded feature of my design, in this project physic optics and art intertwined to create a three-dimensional image which illustrates a hanging lotus garden that naturally is impossible to have in such closed architectural environment.
A replica of a pond with colorful lotuses and the reflection of beautiful flowers into the water which echoes; calm and peace from one angle and gladness and uplifting energy from other.
Motivation (in Swedish):
“Raha Rastifards förslag Den hängande lotusträdgården är en poetisk gestaltning med stort djup och rika färgklanger. Hon presenterar en fascinerande bildvärld i många lager med hjälp av avancerad teknik.”