AADIYOGI SHIV: A JOURNEY IN COSMIC INDIGO
–A Solo Art Exhibition by the renowned artist Sangeeta Gupta is on show at Bihar Museum, Patna.
INAUGURATION / 5 NOVEMBER 2022
In the Gracious presence of ANJANI KUMAR SINGH, Chief Advisor to the Chief Minister, Bihar & Director General, Bihar Museum, Padmashri SHOVANA NARAYAN, Kathak Exponent and SUSHMA BAHL, Art Historian and Author.
· Followed by ‘SHIV STUTI’, Kathak Performance by Padmashri SHOVANA NARAYAN.
· Interactive Session with the Artist Sangeeta Gupta, Shovana Narayan and Sushma Bahl on Sunday/ 6 November 2022/ 3.00 PM to 4.15 PM
The longest Indigo Painting on sustainable hand-spun Khaddar Textile – Aadiyogi Shiv which has a record with Limca Book of Records 2020-22 is on show and will continue till 26th November 2022.
“The large expanse of art created by multi-talented and accomplished artist Sangeeta Gupta, is painted in indigo on hand-spun khadi. Inspired by her research and reverence for Aadiyogi Neelkanth Ardhanarishwar Prakriti-Purush Nataraja; it represents the cycle of life in numerous variable and amazing forms,” Sushma K Bahl, the eminent art historian and writer says on ‘ Aadiyogi Shiv: A Journey In Cosmic Indigo’
In her brilliant introduction to the exhibition the renowned art critic Uma Nair describes the artist Sangeeta Gupta’s work:
“Ardhanarishvara is an androgynous form of Lord Shiv, the composite of Shiv and Parvati, the half-male and half-female fusion from the center. The right half is that of Shiv, and the left half expounds Parvati. Symbolizing the all-pervasive, all-enduring nature of Lord Shiv, Ardhanarishwar portrays a perfect balance of male and female as equal, as “Purusha” and “Prakriti,” the feminine and masculine energies of the cosmos as well as Shiv, the male principle of God, as the essence of Shakti, the Sacred Feminine.
According to Shiv Purana, Lord Brahma, the creator of the universe, was disappointed with his creation as the world was not moving at the pace. It was constant to the number of beings he had created. There was no way out for him rather than calling Shiv for speeding the development in the world. Brahma asked Shiv for help, and Shiv took this Ardhanarishwar form to make him understand generation through copulation. Afterwards, Ardhanarishwar split into Purusha and Prakriti, thus continuing the creation, suggesting that Shiv is nothing without Shakti, and creation, as well as the continuation of life, is impossible without both of them”.
“The apologue of Ardhanarishvara has an intense meaning symbolizing the quintessential balance between the male and female energies in the universe. The forces are inseparable and complementary to each other, suggesting that they must work together to maintain the equilibrium. The unity of Purusha and Prakriti are basically opposite in nature. Still, they match each other in the sense that Purusha is the passive force of the universe. At the same time, Prakriti is active, Purusha represents potential energy, and Prakriti is kinetic energy, and Purusha is infinite. Prakriti brings that infinity to be finite, thus, embracing one another to generate and sustain the universe.
The union of Linga of Shiv and the Yoni of the Devi gives rise to the birth of the entire cosmos. Consequently, this concept also raises the concept of Lust giving rise to procreation. Sangeeta gives us elements of this cosmic union in the works she creates,” says the renowned art critic Uma Nair.
Content & Images credit: Sangeeta Gupta
