The Illusion of the Cage

About the Painting

A yellow bird stands quietly on a ledge, looking at a chalk drawing of a cage with the door left open and above it, a childlike sun on a brick wall.

The bird is not inside the cage. It never was. And yet, it looks as if remembering something.

This painting is about inner freedom, the memories we carry, and the quiet moments when we begin to realize:

“I am not trapped. I never was.”

The cage, drawn in chalk, is not real. It represents the stories, fears, and limitations that may have once felt true, but were never permanent. The open door is a gentle invitation to move beyond old beliefs. The sun drawn above it speaks of innocence, imagination, and hope, even when things feel heavy.

The brick wall adds weight, a reminder of what’s been built over time. And the yellow bird symbolizes presence, healing, and light that doesn’t need to shout to be felt.

A Verse by Rumi

“Why do you stay in prison,
when the door is so wide open?”
— Rumi

This painting was deeply inspired by Rumi’s words — by the idea that freedom is not always something we reach for, but something we awaken to.

Artist’s Note

Sometimes we hold onto ideas of limitation without realizing that they’ve already faded. Sometimes the door is open, but we stay still — not out of fear, but because we are bound to the idea that our present situation is the reality and we are unable to change.
This painting is about that moment of stillness:
A moment before flight.
A moment of recognition.
A moment when something inside you begins to soften and let go.

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https://asiehartstudio.com/gallery/representation