Sam Francis's Mandalas represent a significant aspect of his artistic exploration, reflecting his deep engagement with color, form, and the spiritual or philosophical underpinnings that often characterized his work. The Mandalas, with their concentric structures radiating from a central point, embody Francis's fascination with the universal and the spiritual, drawing on the symbolism and significance of mandalas in Asian art and religion. These works, such as an untitled mandala described by the Madison Museum of Contemporary Art, display vibrant, merging colors that evoke a sense of depth and infinity, inviting viewers into a meditative reflection on the cosmos and the interconnectivity of all things (Madison Museum of Contemporary Art).
Francis's journey into creating Mandalas and other archetypal images like trellises and spirals was influenced by his interest in the work of Carl Jung, the Swiss psychoanalyst known for his exploration of the collective unconscious and archetypal imagery. In the 1970s, Francis delved into Jung's theories, finding resonance with ideas he felt had always been present in his work. This period marked a time of introspection and exploration for Francis, where he integrated these symbolic patterns into his abstract expressionist and color field paintings, enriching his visual language with layers of meaning (Martin Lawrence Galleries).
Francis's Mandalas and his broader body of work from this period reflect a harmonious blend of Eastern philosophies, particularly from his time spent in Japan, and Western psychoanalytic thought. His engagement with the concept of "ma," a Japanese aesthetic principle emphasizing the significance of space or emptiness, further informed his approach to the canvas, where he explored the dynamic interplay between presence and absence, form and void. This exploration was not only a stylistic choice but also a deeply philosophical inquiry into the nature of existence and perception, demonstrating Francis's lifelong pursuit of transcending the physical to touch upon the metaphysical (Jonathan Novak Contemporary Art).