ARTIST STATEMENT
“Yatho Hasta thatho Drishti,
Yatho Drishti thatho Manah,
Yatho Manah thatho Bhaava,
Yatho Bhaava thatho Rasa.” (Muni, 1917, p.8)
Meaning: Where the Hands go, the Eyes should follow, Where the Eyes go, the Mind should follow, Where the Mind goes, the Emotions are generated and where emotions are generated there is a feeling of inner expression.
Entangled paths of Consciousness
This work is an exploration of the idea of spiritual consciousness as a method of healing. It stems from a personal narrative of my relationship to spirituality and how I had understood spiritual consciousness as that which is achievable only as an end result of life. However, through my explorations I began a process of unfolding within this personal journey interlinked with the many narratives that cannot be ignored within the journey of consciousness.
This, thus began a break away in a kind of linear thought process I had been engaged in within ways of grappling with. Having said this as much as there is an insistence for myself to be part of the work which makes itself present within my intimacy with the work through both physical and spiritual relationships and specific signifiers, the work is not bound to a singular experience. In fact, it is about the constant duality of experience within the netting together of.
Therefore, this work does not aim to define, give answers to, or embark on a linear path to healing but rather embraces an acceptance of not knowing, of a lack of resolution to the question, what is consciousness?
“You do not attain Nirvana, Nirvana attains nirvana.” (Ranchan, 2012, p. 59)
It is about the many entanglements of stories, relationships, experiences, and lives.
Within the installation have used residual elements from some of my previous works and performances such as the Sari strips and the entanglements of string and rope which came from my performance within my work entitled Cycles which I now repeat in order to achieve these entanglements again.
Within the theme of webbing, looming and the netting together of I have created traps within the installation that the audience may encounter when performing within this installation, which act as a metaphor for the constant traps and webs that we become bogged in or that we have to encounter within this process of.
Moreover, I think about the process of joining, tearing, binding, and unravelling of threads and sari strips within the navigational aspect of this piece and the process of journeying as one of Consciousness as opposed to reaching the end as a point of consciousness. Entangling within, navigating through, and becoming trapped within a non-linear, spiraling journeying that is part of Consciousness.
Within this piece, I have deliberately called the ‘Saree Falls’, Saree Strips with focus on the idea of striping and hiding. The torn sari here is a direct signifier to Gender based violence in conjunction with the history and colonization of the sari which was an interruption in history that became the founding of modesty within the sari’s narrative which is carried through to current times.
Having said this the stripping or tearing of the sari perhaps could be viewed as how we are birthed and torn from our mothers in relation to being ripped from consciousness, ripped from society and the many wounds that around created within life.
The entanglements of threads are in a constant battle of being bound and ripped as people walk through, within a constant mode of hurting and healing. Surrounded by Saree Strips, bandages perhaps, or navigational flags, sometimes bloodied, sometimes covered in Kumkum\Sindoor, sometimes with Hardi\turmeric. The threads bleeding and congealing. The binding, making, healing and being of the work and the person in a constant battle to become once again whole, put back together, and reconnected with.
The audiences interaction with this work becomes a part of it as well as action as a performance within the work embodies life as consciousness and the performativity of life as well.
Kali
The Hindu Goddess Kali, who’s face hangs within the installation, created through capturing the footprints when I dance onto the canvas, is the divine Goddess that empowers me and the work I do. She is the nurturer of the universe and it is said that from her womb the universe was created. Although portrayed as a Woman, Kali is incomprehensible, unimaginable. She is both the creator and destroyer of the universe.
Perhaps we can understand her as the Duality of experience within the entanglements, networks, and cycles of life. Just as we experience both sides of the saree fall with text and illustrations sewn into it on one side and the incomprehensible residue on the other side which may be more difficult to decipher.
The installation evokes the story of Kali slaying Raktabheej, the Demon who gained a boon from Lord Bramha that with every drop of blood of his that touches the earth another one thousand of him would be born. After Raktabheej using his new found gift to cause havoc, could not be slayed by any of the Gods and powerful men could not slay him, the Gods went to Goddess Parvati for help.
Goddess Parvati entered the battle ground reincarnated as Durga, but every time Durga ma slays Raktabheej one thousand of him rise again as his blood drops onto the ground. Out of frustration and deep anger Kali ma is born from Durga ma’s third eye. Kali ma then stretches out her tongue and it fills up the entire battle ground and she laps up all the blood and Durga ma continues to slay Raktabheej until he is finally gone.
Kali ma, having drank the blood of the Raktabheej becomes crazed and uncontrolled as she has assimilated demonic energy within her. Kali begins to destroy all that is around her and the God become worried.
Shiva who is the husband of Kali ma decides to lay on the ground and when she steps onto him it is said that she realizes the great blunder she has made and comes back to a state of sanity, stretching out her tongue in shame as she had stepped onto her husband.
Kali means times. She is time itself. The word play Kali, Tali seen throughout the installation is a play on a musical time cycles within Hindustani classical music, metaphorically creating the cycle of time itself with Tali which means clap, often representing a division in the time cycle. Perhaps, we can understand Tali as an interruption in a cycle. That which breaks away from norm. That moment which reflects.
Gold
Gold dug from the earth. Believed to be the soul of Mother Earth. Within Hindu mythology Bramha (the creator) was said to have emerged from a Golden egg and thus Gold is regarded as the seed of this world.
Gold which is worn to adorn oneself with wealth and beauty, evokes practice’s of beauty amongst terrible turbulence’s. It is a metaphor for how we navigate through overwhelming violence’s, with congealing wounds and knotted threads on a spiraling inwards journey to healing.
Gold with its medicinal properties, a symbol of purity, associated with Goddess Lakshmi, a divine feminine energy.
Gold, worn by Indian brides. The only bit of wealth collected by a widow. That which contradicts the widows white wardrobe.
Gold the conductor of energy, adorning the top of temples so that ones prana can flow upwards.
The Golden ratio, which symbol spirals inward. Such is the spiraling inward journey of Consciousness. The Divine proportion. Found throughout the elements and the Human body.
Gold is that glistening light of hope. That guide to consciousness that even its shape spiraling inward maps our journey to self.
Golden ratio Navrasa Breathing and The Hero’s circle
Golden ratio breathing is usually naturally what our breathing proportionally functions as. When we breath our exhalations are naturally longer than our inhalations. Although breath can be measured through the golden ratio it is not done deliberately but rather the body naturally employ’s the golden ratio.
Navrasa breathing is an observation of breath that i explored through the nine emotions or nav rasa which stems from knowledge systems of Indian classical dance forms. During expressing these emotions within dance I have observed how breath flows through these emotions.
Breath becomes a method of language these emotions through a certain rhythm or cycle of breath. Within this installation the breath that is heard embodies not only navrasa but the golden ratio as well through a kind of narrative of the Hero’s journey which illustrates the cycles of trials and tribulations that we go through in life, in navigating to consciousness until a point where there is finally an interruption in that cycle that allows us to exit the constant chaos of navigating through the many narratives, trauma’s, loves, joys, confusions that is life.
The Battlefield of Looming, Ripping, Weaving, Netting, Spiraling, Entangling, Congealing, Healing to Consciousness.
