"The Still Point in a Turning World"

Featuring the works of Surendra Sonar , Bhavna Sonawane , Vickram Zutshi and C.F. John

Curator:  Deborah Jenner, Art historian, Indian contemporary art specialist

I approached four contemporary Indian artists, with the theme of this exhibit: “The Still Point in a Turning World’ taken from T S Eliot’s poem, Burnt Norton. Although they were seemingly doing quite different sorts of painting, each immediately saw a connection with his own work. In trying to figure out how this could be, I thought to the starkly contrasting spiritual paths, or yoga, of traditional India, and it came to me:  Each path seemed to match up with an individual artist’s approach. Even their respective subject matter and medium seemed to correspond.

Bhavna Sonawane paints pure joy, a celebration of light and life in patterns of energy radiating out from the center calm. Her "still point" becomes the sun god, Surya, source of 
all energy, pattern, and movement. Her paintings, like idols, are adorned with gold leaf. (Bhakti yoga or loving devotion)

Surendra Sonar creates hyper-realistic scenes of the sublime wilderness that inspire a feeling of awe. His large oil canvases allow the viewer seeking absolute release to identify his awakened consciousness directly with Nature. (Raga Yoga or royal union through transcendental meditation)

Vickram Zutshi, takes his inspiration from the tribal art of Warlis in painting mandala-like compositions. These tribal peoples of India designed codified paintings that guide the viewer through the desire to merge himself with something greater while preserving his social role and individual identity within the community. (Karma Yoga or adherence to social duty)

C F John’s figurative painting series delicately balances the two states as does, for example, Eliot's ‘
dance within the dance’. The lone woman portrayed experiences temporary union with the still point in her moment of acute mental and emotional awareness. Each of John’s watercolors captures that still point of spiritual union with God all in the course of daily life. Beyond painting, John sets up real environments that favor realization. His Mandala installation takes the visitor through a life-long path. The first room satisfies man’s desire for living - to wonder at the falling of an autumn leaf - whereas the descent into the gray, underground chamber satisfies the desire for dissolution. Therein, dream catchers, mirrors and bells set off moments of acute mental and emotional awareness, when the individual self may experience temporary union with the still point.  (Dhyana Yoga or awareness through direct experience)

Deborah Jenner