Under the warm, muted light at IMA Hall, art transcends creativity and aesthetics to spark a contemplation on wholeness, balance and inner energy.
‘Ekaa: The One’, a travelling exhibition by artist and researcher Beena Unnikrishnan, brings together paintings, a documentary and interactive sessions centred on the 64 Yoginis rooted in India’s spiritual heritage.
From here, the exhibition will travel across 16 states over 81 days. Covering more than 10,000km, ‘Ekaa’ positions itself as a cultural and spiritual journey, rather than a conventional art tour.
At the heart of ‘Ekaa’ are the 64 Yoginis, depicted as expressions and emotional states rather than fixed deities. Flowing hair, crescent moons, serpents, lotuses and recurring spiritual symbols move across each canvas, creating a visual rhythm.
Some Yoginis appear nurturing, cradling animals or offering gestures of protection, while others embody raw power, discipline and transformation.
Traditionally, there are 64 Yoginis or distinct manifestations of Shakti. Each embodying a specific quality such as creation, destruction, discipline, desire, fearlessness, and wisdom.
The stylistic consistency across the works binds them into a collective energetic field. Informational notes placed below each painting briefly describe the qualities each Yogini represents, offering viewers an entry point into their symbolic universe.
“The 64 Yoginis are not physical forms based on gender,” says Beena. “They represent 64 feminine energies that exist in every human being.”
Drawing inspiration from the Yogini temples of Odisha and Madhya Pradesh — open-air shrines where the Yoginis are positioned in a circular formation around a central masculine force, Bhairava — the project reflects an ancient understanding of coexistence and balance.
For Beena, this spatial philosophy became a metaphor for the inner self. “Life becomes chaotic when the energies are imbalanced, like a river without banks,” she says.
Hailing from Kollam, Beena is an artist, artpreneur and cultural strategist with over 28 years of experience across art, film, entrepreneurship and industry. She is a recipient of the Centre’s senior fellowship award for her research on art therapy.
Beena’s artistic practice is grounded in healing, cognitive studies and spiritual inquiry. The ‘Ekaa’ series, which began in 2015, evolved organically into a decade-long artistic and emotional journey. While attempting to paint Maha Tripura Sundari, Beena felt the need to first understand her own feminine energy first. This introspection led her, gradually and intuitively, to paint the 64 Yoginis.
“Initially, there was no plan to paint 64 Yoginis,” she says. “I didn’t even know when the second painting would be. They just happened, one after the other, in a flow.”
The project expanded when Beena visited Yogini temples across India, many of which were in state of neglect. The urge to document these spaces led to the creation of the documentary ‘Y64: Whispers of the Unseen’, directed by Jain Joseph.
The film goes beyond architectural remains to capture the atmosphere and silence of these sacred sites. The accompanying book, titled ‘Whispers of the Unseen’, records the artist’s reflections.
Beena, who seeks to further her inquiry through dialogues with audiences, says she does not see herself as an ‘artist’ in the popular sense. “I never started painting,” she smiles. “I only continued what a child began. I have been continuing ever since.”
The exhibition will conclude on January 18.
Timings: 11am to 7pm
Interactions through the day
January 17: Scholar-led talks
January 18: Discussions with psychologists
Documentary screenings
January 17: 11.30am to 1.30pm and 4pm to 5pm
January 18: 11.30am
to 1.30pm