Multidisciplinary artist Seema Kohli has made a name for herself as a creator with a strong spiritual leaning. Her latest exhibition titled ‘Cut from the Same Cloth’ doesn’t stray far from this mould. Presented by GALLERIE NVYA and supported by the Raj Art Initiative, the show will be on display at Delhi’s Bikaner House, Center of Contemporary Art, from July 28 to August 4. In that time period, apart from browsing her works, one can also interact with them through panel discussions, guided walkthroughs and a performance.
Speaking about the concept of the show, Kohli shares, “Cut from the Same Cloth (2017 – 2023) is initiated as a universal odyssey dedicated to exploring the self and its relationship with the spiritual cosmos. Inspired by the motif of the universal thread or bloodline that runs through each one of us, I have turned to the new medium of embroidery, to give a new turn to my work.”
Kohli’s thought-provoking works have always sought to blur the lines between myth and reality, the spiritual and worldly, and the self and the other. Hence, her art is inspired by aspects of her own life, and her life is a reflection of her art. The two cannot be separated. Over a decades-long practice, she has studied the ancient myths and figures of India, with a focus on the Yoginis. Through them, she seeks to explore themes of beauty, sensuality, and spirituality. The varied art mediums she experiments with add further dimensions to the underlying message in her works.
Kohli says, “My work is primarily a celebration of the female form and Shakti: the feminine cosmic energy, which is the source of all powers of creation and destruction.” She considers herself an abstract storyteller through her visual art. “The stories I weave are not autobiographical, but yet they are deeply personal and connected with the occurrences in my life,” she adds.
The art works that constitute the exhibition titled ‘Cut from the Same Cloth’ seek to explore “the nuances of life and the different pathways to nirvana, which is the final liberation.” They were shaped through inspiration from the verses of Sufi and Bhakti saints like Kabir, Nanak, Namdev, Farid, Bulleh Shah and Shah Hussain. “Their message was simple and taught how the body and soul were woven together. In this series I explore the physicality, the body, experiencing life in general and the teachings of these saints through the visual deployment of the techniques of weaving and stitching.”
During the design of the project, she acquired a weaving loom and charkha from weavers that work and live in the Panipat area. To showcase their contribution, these objects will also be part of the display at the ongoing exhibit. “I have employed the unique mechanical sonorities of the loom as a symbolic representation of the ceaseless cosmic creation into which we are all minutely interwoven,” she explains speaking about this aspect in particular.
On display are 15 artworks embroidered with silk and cotton threads, beads, and sequins on an untreated canvas cloth. There are also three paintings in acrylics on the concept of ‘The Songs and Narratives of the Golden Womb – the Flight’ made with gold and silver leaf on canvas, as well as two works on gold tissue procured from Banaras that mesh the mediums of painting and embroidery together. 18 drawings made with gold leaf and ink on archival paper depict the instruments and material used in the process of creating these artworks. A 12-minute video on the making of ‘Cut from the Same Cloth’ will also be played on loop. It captures Kohli’s process of the making the artworks at the Raj Art Initiative. Its conceptualisation is by Kohli and the cinematography, editing and sound has been done by Sakthi Doss.
Finally, the multidimensional performance titled ‘My Cloak Made of Colour, Air and Songs’ is set to take place on August 3 at Chandani Bagh, Bikaner House and will bring together animation, music, poetry, and movement. “Through this project, I seek to explore the connection of the self with the universal cosmos. My interest and engagement with Bhakti and Sufi culture, and poetry informs my narrative for this performance.” She will be joined by movement artists Simrat Dugal and Abhinaya Penneswaran, singers Bindhumalini Naraswamy, BalaKrishnan Gayathri Raghavan and musicians Sahil Vasudev featuring Suhel Saeed Khan and Shahnawaz Khan Makarand.
Noor Anand Chawla pens lifestyle articles for various publications and her blog www.nooranandchawla.com.