Category: Series

In our materialistic world, we often gauge our value based on societal expectations like wealth, status, and appearance. Caught in a system that categorizes us according to these criteria, we lose sight of our personal values and aspirations. Society’s influence prompts us to prioritize norms over our beliefs and cultural backgrounds, fearing the label of a ‘pariah’ and aspiring to fit the mold of what is considered ‘normal.’ However, this ‘normal’ is merely a construct we’ve internalized, offering a false sense of assurance in our worth—a fabricated harmony.

Stripped of our ideals, conforming to the ‘norm’ may render us sterile vessels marching towards our demise. The misfits, who insist on maintaining their individuality, challenge this notion. They embody a completeness that stems from expressing their true selves, experiencing a natural harmony within. My artwork in this series personifies these misfits, pariahs, and deviants, highlighting their authenticity in a sea of artificial normality. Embracing their own nature, they find peace, depicted in the series through individuals who are part human and part not—the absence representing a connection with one’s roots. The naturalistic imagery captures the beauty of their retained individuality, defying societal pressure to conform.

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Delving into the symbolism of Chhinnamastaa, a fierce representation of the Goddess Kali, unveils profound cosmic wisdom. The Goddess, holding her severed head and drinking from the fountain of blood, signifies the inevitability of death for all life forms. This metaphor underscores the detachment of ‘consciousness’ from the physical body, emphasizing the spiritual path’s pursuit of separating thoughts from the material world.

The sacrifice of the head, akin to shedding ego, represents the challenging path to egoless consciousness and spiritual enlightenment. The Goddess’s consumption of blood signifies the transformative power that comes from sacrificing transient aspects of self in the hopes of finding divine consciousness. Hence, in recognizing our innate fear of detaching from bodily consciousness, the philosophy of Chhinnamastaa encourages us to seek transcendence.

There is a kind of subtle chaos, a supple element of chance and change, residing at the core of living things. Nature has no plan, nor does it copy well; hence no living thing is completely the same as others of its kind. Our DNA is subject to continual mutation, enabling generations to evolve within a changing world,’ says Charles Darwin.

Humans possess a dearth of attributes: strength, humility, conviction, harmony, humanity, humor, empathy, or awareness. In this series of hybridized imagery, blended with mythological as well as animal subjects, I try to convey fragmented beings. Each subject portrays a kind of metamorphosis, often having demonic or peculiar anomalies (mostly unseen to the naked eye) that symbolize our behavioral traits, or lack thereof, in society.

These figures may seem provocative, disobediently eating into a confined page, subjects floating in blank space as if cut from their environment, and thrown into the abyss. They are humanoid enough to be seen as sentient, yet also inhuman enough to appear aloof. I intended to create a feeling of transcendence, searching through underlying surfaces of human nature to extract something universal for many to relate to. My mission is to make the soul more perceptible and the process meditative by using the inner eye of contemplation.

Though history is written by the victors, there are many heroes who lay forgotten, though their untold narratives continue to contribute to our modern human experiences. Often overshadowed by more prominent figures, these unsung champions played pivotal roles in shaping the course of history. Their stories offer valuable lessons, showcasing resilience, courage, and the often-overlooked contributions that have influenced societal progress. Recognizing and remembering these forgotten heroes, steeped in religion, culture and mythology, not only honors their legacy but also provides a more comprehensive understanding of the complexities and diversity of human achievements.