© Copyright 2015, Lawrence Sheaff

LAWRENCE SHEAFF

T H E  S I L E N T  G A L L E R Y  P R O J E C T

Designed by the artist 2008

Aerial View

View of the front entrance from the gallery courtyard

Interior view of the gallery space

The Silent Gallery will exclusively focus on Maharishi Vedic Science as the total knowledge of natural law. Its sole purpose will be to promote Maharishi’s Consciousness-Based education around the world in the context of the visual arts. This will be the theme of all the gallery’s outreach programmes. In this context it will not be appropriate to feature the artist as an individual in any way. What will be featured is the proposed new universal principles that underlie the whole of our visual aesthetic reality. These new principles have come to light from a re-evaluation of the visual arts in relation to Maharishi Vedic Science as the complete knowledge of consciousness. All the gallery’s promotional materials will be created in consultation with the Global Country of World Peace^(SM) (for more on the Global Country of World visit: www.globalcountry.org).

The Silent Gallery is a purpose-built facility to exclusively and permanently house forty paintings in the continuing series titled Absolute Image: The Structure of Consciousness in Visual Form. The gallery along with the Absolute Image Series of Paintings makes a unique artistic statement. It addresses, perhaps for the first time in the context of the visual arts, the modern science supposition that there are an infinite number of universes; that the structure of reality is in fact an infinity of infinities. The Silent Gallery was first conceived and designed by the artist in 2008. The gallery will be built according to the Vastu-Vidya of Maharishi Sthapatya Veda^(SM) using only natural, non-toxic materials (for more on ‘Vastu-Vidya’, visit: www.maharishivastu.org). It will be a self-sufficient pollution-free, LEED Platinum Certified structure and entirely solar powered. The gallery will be a non-profit, public institution built from private funds and privately endowed for its on-going administration and maintenance. In the actual gallery space itself where the Absolute Image Series are displayed, visitors will be requested to refrain from speaking – thus, ‘The Silent Gallery’. Also, the greatest care will be taken to ensure that the fresh air and heating systems for the gallery are absolutely silent.

Along with the actual gallery space, The gallery building will include within it a lecture theatre with comfortable seating for thirty people. This will have a state-of-the-art sound and visual projection system and exhibition wall displays. The theatre will run in-house lectures as well as hosting invited guest speakers. The gallery’s website and gift shop will offer for sale all Maharishi’s books and DVDs as well as books and DVDs specifically related to art and Maharishi Vedic Science. It will also offer prints of the Absolute Image Series. The Silent Gallery Restaurant will serve only Maharishi Vedic Organic refreshments. 20% of all proceeds from the gallery and gallery website sales will go to support Maharishi’s Consciousness-Based system of education and/or Maharishi’s Global Peace Initiative.

A 30-page Charter-Manual has been written for The Silent Gallery outlining its purpose, goals, and administrative responsibilities and procedures. The gallery’s Charter-Manual will be finalised in collaboration with the Global Country of World Peace^(SM).