The eight original “Zen of Golf” paintings from which these prints are made were commissioned by Scratch Golf Clubhouse- a new, ultra-private golfer’s lounge limited to only thirty members, opening in Westwood, California in late 2024, where they will be exhibited together with an exclusive selection of other paintings and photography by Bravo. When commissioned to create this series, the club’s owners specifically asked the artist to work within his “transcendental expressionist” style of black and white abstract paintings, keeping with the club’s modernist décor.  Bravo immediately felt the connection between his painting process of “letting go of the mind to get the perfect stroke,” with both golf and Japanese Zen Buddhist art.

 

The artist explains the ancient Japanese Zen Buddhist concept of “enso” and how it relates to golf and his “transcendental expressionist” style of painting:

 

“In Japanese Zen Buddhist art, there is a painting technique called “enso,” where a circle is made in one simple brushstroke. The enso circle symbolizes “mu,” which means the void, or nothingness, and represents the aesthetics of Zen minimalism. The circle is a representation of the mind reaching a paradoxical state of fullness and emptiness.  Each “Zen of Golf” painting was created with a minimal number of “enso-like” brushstrokes, each performed in a split second. Interestingly, the Japanese are famously avid golfers and Japan has the second most golf courses in the world.”

 

For more information about “Zen of Golf” or to place an order, please contact us here, or text the artist's studio at 323-217-7444. The original paintings are available only as a complete set. 

 

Please note: All prices subject to change without notice.