Ntangou Badila Art

Ntangou Badila looks within in E(n)ternal Lighf, a body of work exploring the inner human body in all its cosmic majesty, marrying the visible with the invisible, the mortal with the divine, fusing the realms of imagination and reality to present core human organs and systems in a mesmerizingly vibrant way that honors the indescribable beauty that we embody. It took billions of years and countless star lifetimes to form the elements that make up our bodies. The internal human body is a symmetrical microcosm of the galactic macrocosm. The neural network of a brain cell resembles the distribution of dark matter in the universe. The human eye and nebulae in outer space are strikingly alike. The iron in our blood, the calcium in our bones, the carbon in our muscles, the oxygen in our lungs, they were all first created inside of stars before our home planet entered the galactic stage. It is often said we are made of stardust, and that is our whimsical truth. There are two main forces in our universe that take on various forms, which establish the rhythm of our being and our experience of this realm: light and shadow, also manifested as contraction and expansion. We witness these forces in their pendular fashion as the Earth rotates, fostering day and night; or as sea waters contract and expand as waves come and go. Vital human dynamics follow these same movements: our circadian clock aligns with light and darkness; our heart follows the same rhythm as the oceans; as we inhale and exhale, our bellies move just like waves in the sea. In Divine Balance, Ntangou evokes these two polar forces within us in their intertwined animating movements. Each of us is born of masculine and feminine essential components, and this biology finds its reflection in more subtle dimensions, such as electricity and magnetism, action and attraction, Yin and Yang. From this piece, we sense these opposing, yet complementary powers creating order out of the natural chaos, in the same way the cosmos configures itself from paradoxical forces, seeking and establishing a delicate balance that aims to evolve and progress. A curious octopoid motif emerges, bringing motion with elegant dynamism. The octopus symbolizes high intelligence, adaptability and creativity, and its presence here evokes the wise equilibrium between opposing forces, an even more intriguing arrangement than its individual components. Feminine and masculine powers find their biological expression in Reproductive, where the feminine is the interdimensional portal through which new life will enter this realm. The masculine holds the electric key that activates the start of a new consciousness in this most fertile ground. In truest masculine form, millions of competitors race each other, knowing the victor will get to co-create a whole new world. Another octopoid element visits this piece in the form of tentacles, which evoke the sensorial experience of dynamic exploration of pleasure and movement. It also reminds us of the rather mysterious origin of life, as the very origin of the octopus is quite unknown, and just like human consciousness, it is of this world, but not quite. This union produces a miraculous spark of light that is shown in Zygote. Visible zinc sparks herald the beginning of new conscious life. This seed of light will grow to one day enlighten the world that surrounds it, reminding us that we all humbly start off as one extremely intelligent and wise cell that will know to organize in both precise and miraculous ways to divide and grow into all that we are. It takes so much to become, and all that inherent, yet arcane knowledge first manifests as this initial, bright spark of life. Ntangou’s rendition of the human heart evokes the role the sun takes in our galaxy. As our center point, it pumps blood throughout the body allowing our lives to bloom like a flower every day. Beating about 100,000 times daily, and more than 60 times per minute, it creates enough energy to drive a truck to the moon and back over the course of a lifetime. The human heart also creates a magnetic field that can be detected feet away from the body, thus enabling the feminine power of attraction of what it most desires. Even more subtly, the heart is our emotional center, and various linguistic images reveal its feeling role, like having a full, or a broken heart. An intriguing octopoid motif veils this blossoming heart, this time symbolizing the enigma of emotion, the unknown depths of feeling, all which lies within to discover about ourselves. Just like it is said of the octopus’ foreign origins, if we neglect exploring our heart, we risk remaining foreign to our own feelings and dreams. However, if we allow ourselves the vulnerability of feeling, we may get in touch with the elusive mystery of our own true nature. In Encephalon, we appreciate the masculine power of electricity in its full majesty, commanding actions and reactions throughout the body, decoding what the eyes perceive and creating the unique order of reality each of us experience locally. The organ responsible for our capacity for pareidolia and apophenia is far more complex and elegant than any other known structure in the universe. It is the ultimate proof of our divinity and the processor of our humanity. There are about 100 billion neurons in the brain, which is about the same number of stars in a typical galaxy. Each neuron has between 1,000 and 10,000 connections, called sinapses. If we were to add the length of each sinapsis in the brain, a biological cable of about 220,000 miles long would result, almost long enough to connect the Earth with the moon. The organ that guards our Promethean fire grants us a limitless vision and the potential to imagine the unseen, to create countless worlds and know precisely how to manifest them into tangible reality. In Nervous we get an impactful glimpse of all the electrical signals that are endlessly traveling throughout our body at all times. This system commands our every breath, every intentional and instinctive move, transporting emotions and facilitating our chosen responses, from a caress out of love, to a running sprint out of fear. It’s been calculated that the fastest nerve impulse travels from cell to cell at about 270 mph, with some nerve cells firing up to 1,600 times per second. Our divinity and mortal humanity are fully expressed through this vast network of fibers that give us the opportunity to act and react to all outer stimuli with every inner impulse and emotion. Endocrine alluringly portrays the glands that release the hormones that regulate all our functions, from metabolizing, to responding to fear, growth, mood regulation and reproduction, these respective hormones travel all along the body at exactly the right time to foster and maintain harmony between our inner and outer worlds. Four elements make up the natural experience of this world, and these same elements are the pillars of our human existence. Water is our cradle while in the womb, and it makes up 50% of our blood, which informs the lively and warm red in 60%, referencing the percentage of water in our full body composition. On average, we have approximately 25,000 miles of blood vessels, ensuring oxygen reaches every corner of our being, and to highlight these abundant dimensions, in the second since you’ve read this sentence, your body has produced one million red cells. Such abundance is signaled by the golden shimmers in Blood, a visual reminder of the traces of gold that travel through our veins. In Skeletal and Muscular we glimpse the impeccable architecture of the frame and matter out of which our physique is sculpted, uniting earth and water to enable our pliable nature of movement, and our physical strength and resistance. The average human body has 206 bones, 54 of which form our hands, and another 52 form our feet, a physiological confirmation of our dynamic potential and destiny. Our skeletal frame not only provides us with structure, but even essential hormones are produced in the marrow, such as osteocalcin, which helps manage glucose, boosts male fertility, and even influences mood and memory. The blue and gold porously gleaming in Skeletal mirror the Japanese art of kintsugi, a graceful nod to the miracle of bone regeneration and the body’s remarkable capacity for resilience. In Muscular, we appreciate the fluidity and strength of movement we are capable of thanks to the more than 640 muscles that animate our bones. Air is the following element in our journey. As the breath of life enters our lungs as we exit the womb, the oxygen needed to fuel all our vital processes comes in, and carbon dioxide exits, establishing the invisible gas exchange we’ll unconsciously engage in until our very last exhale. Our inner air channels are so amazingly compact that if our lungs were smoothed out they would cover a tennis court, and the airways between them would stretch from coast to coast. Diaphragm movement is intimately related to nervous system regulation, and in Respiratory, the beauty of this system’s life-giving, airy motion reminds us of the calming power of centering on the breathing flow to tap into the stillness from which everything originates. The earth generously provides us with all that nourishes us, and in Digestive, the system that fosters the absorption of nutrients finds an appetizing expression of the great lengths it goes to keep us alive and healthy. In more subtle dimensions, the stomach is associated with intuition, and some other linguistic images illustrate this belief, from following one’s gut, to listening to gut feelings, the stomach doesn’t only digest the matter it intakes, but also the energy of situations, and as the center of immunity, it doesn’t only protect us from what endangers the body within, but also without. About 70% of our immune cells reside in the gut, and their health and diversity depend on our dietary habits and priorities. We are what we eat, and are therefore fortified or weakened by what we choose to nourish ourselves with. Right after, our bodies’ mechanisms activate to get rid of what no longer serves. In Urinary and Excretory we find elegant renditions of the organs that remind us of the humility in humanity, of the flow of nutrition, itself a humbling biological warning against the perils of cumulation. When these systems fail, ironically, no accumulation of money and riches matter, as our true wealth lies within these organs. Each of us is a self-preserved microverse, and this protection comes in abundance from the wise and intelligent immune system. In Lymphatic, the blissful choreography of vessels, tissues, organs and glands that guard off viruses and bacteria gives us a glimpse into what it takes to experience the exquisite realization of health. The exterior shield that wraps and protects our entire being is portrayed in its mesmerizing blooming quality in Integumentary, evoking our skin, the body’s largest organ, as petals that provide pigment diversity to the magnificent, beautiful bouquet that is humankind. Ntangou’s ethereal vision of the inner human body reminds us of the oneness we inherently experience with the All around and within, and that the illusion of being separate beings from one another dissolves when we understand that underneath our skin, we are essentially the same beings, heirs of the same divine light and universal power. Our human experience complements our divinity perfectly so we can progress and grow, so we can experience the full spectrum between light and darkness, not to choose to dwell in one, but to understand that everything belongs within us. One of humanity’s greatest gifts is our sensual experience, all we see, smell, taste and touch. We get to sense every aspect of our reality, and there is much to savor from the miracle that is being alive. This richness is shown in Sense, a visually stunning homage to all the inner parts that gift us this delicious experience we call life. We have about 30 trillion cells in our body, and it is extraordinary that at the very start, each one of us began as one individual cell, which after dividing, new cells began to specialize and collaborate with perfect efficacy to develop the entirety of our bodies. Cells conveys the perfect utopia formed by these unsung heroes that make up our very own microcosm. If we arranged all the DNA in our body into a single strand, it would stretch to beyond Pluto, about 10 billion miles. We are made out of stardust and the cells that compose us resemble the countless stars in the sky above us, yet they are within us, giving a very intimate meaning to the mystical phrase “as above, so below, as within, so without, as the universe, so the soul.” Our bodies reflect our attitudes toward ourselves. If we choose to nourish it with care, honor its strength by exploring the limits of our physical capacity, intentionally rest to restore energy, we can count on our body to take us as high and far as we can possibly imagine. Similarly, if we choose to project and transfer our fears and insecurities onto the body by carelessly consuming anything, taking its vigor for granted, developing chemical dependencies that will deregulate our brain chemistry and disturb the nervous system, escaping reality instead of fostering presence, the body will surely keep the score. E(n)ternal Lighf opens an inner dialogue with our components within, brings our attention to their intention to heal and thrive. It invites us to introspect on our corporal actions, to ask ourselves, do we cast our light, or do we cast our shadow onto our bodies?