Mandalas

Mandalas are geometric, circular symbols that are generally symmetrical and often very complex. They are important in the Buddhist and Hindu religions and represent the universe. These religions deal a lot with symbols of repetition (things that are found in most cultures can be linked back to nature, even, for instance, brand logos and spirals). A well known symbol that is used in some mandalas is the Yin-Yang, although this is among the simpler looking. The word mandala comes from Sanskrit, meaning disk.The base for all mandalas is a circle inside of a square, and inside the circle there are many patterns that spiral into the middle. Mandalas are often used to aid meditation and spiritual endeavors.

Synthetic Cubism

Synthetic Cubism is an art for that arose in the early 20th century, developed by artists like Picasso and Georges Braque. It is characterized by geometric shapes, surrealism, blocks, and collage. Basically, an image from real life is analyzed by the artist, chopped up into a bunch of geometric shapes, and then reassembled. Cubism had a major affect on all forms of art in Europe.