How does a Delhi artist, all set for her first solo showing in London, cope when a global pandemic upsets her plans? She goes virtual. Seema Kohli’s new show ‘Tat Tvam Asi’ “you exist in everything and the universe exists within you”is a collection of 35 multi-media works currently on display virtually at the London-based SA Fine Arts Gallery. Large, expansive and vibrant, Kohli’s art is a reflection of her inner world—there is a strong influence of spirituality giving her creations a distinctive appeal. On display are paintings, drawings, sculptures, etchings, serigraphs, and hand-painted archival prints based on videos made as performance art.
Kohli who admits that she doesn’t “do any sketches at all. Whatever I feel like from within, I let it just flow” believes in creating stories that reclaim the lost feminine narrative in cultural history. ‘Tat Tvam Asi’ displays works that are diverse in range, yet collectively portrays the message of the oneness of humanity. There are, of course, the famous Golden Womb pieces, with the overarching theme of regeneration of life. The tapestry here throbs with a life of its own.
Pulsating with numerous intertwining images and bright hues, the artworks force you to come back to them again and again. There are also works inspired by mysticism of Sufism, the Tandav of Shiva, and the Greek mythology of Ouroboros. Kohli talks about the common thread, “Everyone emerges from a single space, a single womb, so why do we see each other as different? We are all part of the same whole. All great philosophies around the world are centred on the idea of the oneness of humanity. This universal message was my biggest inspiration ‘I am you, and you are me’.”
London-based art historian Sona Datta, who has curated Kohli’s show, appreciates the uniquely Indian yet universal appeal of her art. Having served as the Head of South Asian Art at the Peabody Essex Museum in Massachusetts and curated the Bengal Collective at the British Museum among others, she has a long history of introducing works of historic significance from the Indian subcontinent to a discerning audience abroad. Little wonder that Kohli caught her eye. “She is interesting because her art is different from the flat global contemporary art, which tends to look the same. The elements of Shakti and Tantra are palpable, in a brave and unselfconscious way. I believe her appeal lies in her contemporary way of addressing timeless and universal themes.”
Datta’s praise will irk many critics of Kohli’s style in India, who believe her art is “not contemporary enough”. Kohli cannot be less bothered. She feels an international audience connects with her work instantly. “People abroad are not bound by definitions of the way art should be. They recognise that art has no boundaries,” she says candidly. Known for creating art across mediums, she has stayed true to her one muse ‘Shakti’ or energy of the divine feminine deeply embedded in the Indian subconscious. Discovering the resplendent Durga at a young age, this self-taught artist’s canvas gradually gave way to the yogini goddesses or physical manifestations of Shakti, forming the core of her colourful and detailed art. Art historian Annapurna Garimella says, “She has an incredible dedication to making art which manifests in the amount of work she makes and in layers of drawing and colour she places into a single work. Her work appeals to anyone who is interested in the sacredness of the feminine.”
Drawing from traditional symbolism and meaning, it is Kohli’s sense of meaning and identification that is translated onto the canvas. Most of her series are centred around yoginis, female energy and, of course, the Tree of Life or the womb of life. There are curled-up images in frame-like spaces, almost like mandalas, demigods, flora and fauna all painted with a splash of the most vibrant saffron, blue and gold. She draws inspiration from mythology, philosophy, iconography and literature, and connects these to our modern times.
Like an intricate mythical tapestry. Kishore Singh, art writer and curator, says, “Her work is viewed by most for its aesthetic quality, but what they fail to observe is her deep concern for contemporary issues. She creates an imaginary world that appears mythic, but is, in fact, directly connected with our roots and traditions, and addresses gender relationships, environmental concerns, as well as the balance all humans need to seek in their internal and external, psychological and physical worlds.”
A versatile and much-celebrated artist, who rejoices in the female’s power, energy, beauty and sensuality, printmaking has also been an opportunity for experimentation. Using processes such as intaglio—reversal of an image from plate to paper—she changes the tonality of her canvas and composition. Her series, ‘Unending Dance of Light’, is an example of how the lush palette undergoes a metamorphosis to emerge as a completely different body of work. Almost like watching a photograph go back into a pre-developed format in the darkroom. Easy to appreciate and difficult to decipher, just like Kohli’s art.
“Everyone emerges from a single space, a single womb, so why do we see each other as different? We are all part of the same whole.”