2023
Ink and acrylic on paper
594mm (H) x 420mm (W)
'The Golden Rule' invites contemplation on the power of compassion in overcoming humanity’s present despair and disunity through a process of calligraphic abstraction. The work contains six ‘golden rule’ verses from each of the world’s great faith traditions (Judaism, Hinduism, Buddhism, Christianity, Islam, and the Baha’i Faith) which have been reduced from their original language (Hebrew, Sanskrit, Pali, Greek, Arabic, and Persian respectively) into a unified script and composition. The six distinct verses are woven over one another to converge at the focus of an illuminating golden orb – a symbol of their unity.
Anthony Zemke is a Tāmaki Makaurau-based artist specialising in black ink illustration, painting, and graphic design. His work is guided by a conceptual framework that draws on the Baha'i teachings, Eastern mysticism, and Continental philosophy, with abstraction serving as the ideal vehicle for communicating spiritual and metaphysical realities.
Through his art, Anthony explores themes such as the harmony between science and religion, the dialectic of humanity's oneness and diversity, and the fundamental unity of the world's religio-philosophical belief systems. He achieves this through the use of abstract forms, calligraphic symbols, and meditative composition, which combine to create works that are both visually and intellectually engaging.
Anthony graduated from the University of Auckland in 2020 with a Bachelor of Biomedical Engineering (Honors) and currently balances his work as a medical device engineer with an emerging artistic practice at ODDLY studios in Tāmaki Makaurau. By combining his engineering background with his artistic vision, Anthony brings a unique perspective to his work that is both technically precise and creatively innovative.