Medium: 1-cm synthetic emerald, convex three-dimensional synthetic gemstones, optical lenses, 24-karat gold leaf, pigment and gouache on board, Persian gold illumination, and integrated backlighting.
All gemstone elements used throughout the artwork are synthetic rather than natural and were selected for their color, optical clarity, and interaction with light.
The Eye of Existence is Mohammad Hadi Abolghasemi’s latest work—a meditation on global peace, interfaith harmony, and the shared spiritual heritage of civilizations. Rooted in the traditions of Persian illumination (Tazhib) and Flower-and-Bird painting (Gol-o-Morgh), the work brings sacred narratives, celestial symbolism, selected materials, and light together within a single multidimensional composition.
Scenes associated with the great prophets—including Noah’s Ark, Abraham’s passage through the fire, Moses parting the Red Sea and being rescued from the Nile, the miracles of Jesus, and the spiritual legacy of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him)—are woven together alongside the Last Supper. At the visual apex of the composition rests the “Crowning Jewel of Creation,” representing divine order and the eternal light of life. From this central presence, sacred histories, intricate patterns, and cosmic forms radiate across the work.
At the heart of the composition is a micro-miniature depiction of the Crucified Christ, painted directly onto a synthetic emerald measuring only one centimeter. The density, texture, and light-refracting character of the synthetic gemstone make it an exceptionally demanding surface for figurative painting. More than a material element, the emerald becomes the spiritual and visual center of the work—a symbol of life, sacrifice, transcendence, and divine illumination.
The Eye of Existence moves beyond the conventions of flat painting. Prophetic portraits, celestial bodies, and symbolic forms are rendered on convex synthetic gemstones and optical elements, creating a depth that changes with the viewer’s position. As light and perspective shift, faces, planets, and sacred symbols appear to emerge from the composition, giving the work a dynamic presence that cannot be fully experienced from a single viewpoint.
Constellations, planetary paths, and geometric formations surround these dimensional elements, connecting earthly narratives with the order of the cosmos. Human history is presented not in isolation, but as part of a greater sacred universe in which material existence and spiritual imagination remain inseparably linked.
A custom-engineered internal lighting system allows the artwork to radiate from within as the surrounding light begins to fade. Light passes through the embedded synthetic gemstone elements and optical lenses, while the 24-karat gold leaf reflects its glow across the composition. The illumination is not a decorative addition; it is an integral part of the work’s structure and meaning—an expression of the spiritual idea of “Light upon Light.” The recurring spherical gemstones also evoke the all-seeing Divine Eye, creating a subtle dialogue between the artwork and its observer.
Across the margins of the composition, dozens of background figures measure approximately 0.5 to 1 centimeter. At this extreme scale, Abolghasemi employs a direct and gestural visual language inspired by sacred folk art and traditional storytelling. Rather than pursuing conventional portrait realism, these simplified figures convey movement, emotional urgency, and spiritual presence. Through Persian illumination, sacred storytelling, synthetic gemstones, cosmic geometry, dimensional imagery, and living light, The Eye of Existence becomes a meeting place between religions and civilizations, the earthly and the celestial, and material precision and spiritual imagination.