The Mythical Realm of the Seventh Palace 2023-2025

Andrea Mindell Cohen’s new body of work, The Mythical Realm of the Seventh Palace, explores faith, mortality, and the afterlife beyond earthly existence. Inspired by El Zohar: Revelations of the Book of Splendor, her work draws inspiration from Kabbalistic theosophy and mysticism.

Emerging from profound sorrow and trauma, Andrea reflects on emotional scars and physical wounds, posing the question: What comes next after we no longer exist physically? What lies beyond death? In response, transcendent forms and luminous celestial elements emerge, interwoven across her expansive canvases as part of reflection on her journey. This series represents over two years of work, developed in the wake of her cancer diagnosis, as she intertwines a story of despair, resilience, and rejuvenation. During her treatments, she began to perceive her struggle more deeply, reclaiming her power through artistic expression.

Looking at ancient Kabbalistic sacred texts, Andrea resonated with the notion that multiple worlds exist within the afterlife. This revelation encouraged her to reimagine these ethereal realms as part of her healing journey.

Color plays a pivotal role in this series. Andrea’s palette is composed of potent fuchsias and magentas, enriched with shades of red, pink, deep indigo, violet, and hints of blue and green. In retrospect she realized that her intuitive choice of colors was no coincidence; each hue held symbolic meaning aligned with the series’ concept. Indigo represents deep contemplation and spiritual wisdom, violet speaks to the higher self and the comprehension of mystery, while fuchsia embodies resilience and strength. The interplay of light and dark tones creates both a calming and intense atmosphere, evoking an internal battle between light and shadow—a reflection of her emotional conflict. This dramatic contrast is evident throughout the work, where luminous and somber tones coexist.

As part of her journey, Andrea’s technique also evolved—she began employing raw canvas and a soak-staining technique, layering and over-layering washes of acrylic paint. Through this repetitive process, she creates depth and texture, resulting in ethereal effects and ghostly forms. This technique symbolizes her personal transformation—moving from release to renewal, mirroring the metamorphosis she has undergone.

Andrea divides her new series across four parts titled Part 1: The Hands of Healing explores her physical and emotional healing. The recurring motif of hands represents both care and intrusion—symbolizing the constant probing and medical interventions she experienced. Here, Andrea positions herself as the protagonist, exposing her vulnerability and resilience.

Part 2: The Shejiná Andrea reconnects with her spirituality through an intuitive engagement with Shejiná, Divinity the feminine force in mystical Judaism that represents healing, protection, and rebirth. This presence embodies an evolution—a return to life from death. Through the work, Andrea uses her body to symbolize this rebirth. Part 3: Transformation Through Metamorphosis This phase represents a rediscovery of the natural world and a renewed connection to the higher universe. The work includes a series of photographs taken in a sunlit forest on the outskirts of Granada during an art residency. Draping transparent, paint-stained fabric, Andrea’s exploration merges with the surrounding landscape, visually interpreting her body’s transformation into nature. Walking through the forest, she became acutely aware of nature’s constant cycle of renewal—witnessing buds forming on the branches of almond trees. Andrea integrates images from her personal archive, including photographs taken during and after her chemotherapy. These images, combined with photographs of trees and organic objects found in nature, are used in cyanotype prints on cotton, creating an effect reminiscent of X-ray studies. Part 4: The Afterlife of the World to Come. The final exploration of Andrea’s interpretation of the afterlife, and derives from her studies of El Zohar and elements of the Book of Enoch—particularly its depiction of a new world emerging after the end of the old. Influenced by descriptions of mythical creatures that will arise after the world’s end, she envisions The Seventh Palace as the final threshold before the soul returns to earth.

This body of work marks a departure from Andrea’s previous practice, where she incorporated various mediums and techniques. Here, she focuses primarily on soaked-stained painting, allowing the medium to guide her exploration of spirituality and transformation.

Her vision for this series extends beyond individual canvases—it is conceived as an immersive installation, a sacred sanctuary or pavilion that represents the procession toward the afterlife. This envisioned space would invite viewers to step inside, engaging with the tapestry-like painted walls and experiencing the journey through this mythical realm—ultimately emerging into a new world, transformed and reborn.