प्रकृति - Prkrti

(In progress)

This work draws upon the artist’s practice of yoga as a philosophical enquiry into the self.

There are six major ‘Aasthik’ darshanas (schools) of philosophy, which regard the Vedas as a primary and orthodox source of knowledge. Yoga-asana (postural yoga) sits within this framework, which considers the pairing of Sankhya and Yoga (2/6 schools) wherein both consciousness (purusha) and matter (prkrti) are accepted as the dual nature of human existence. प्रकृति (prkrti) is realised in the physical and material world as nature or the feminine principle, whereas purusha relates to metaphysical consciousness or the masculine principle.

Prakrti works through a higher and lower level of being, with the latter manifested as five elements; air, water, fire, earth and ether. In Hindu philosophy Prakriti is often likened to the mind and the physical body, its parts and organs. Whereas the purusha is the pure, ego-free, divine Self, residing inside the body. Purusha merely observes events which occur in one’s life, and is therefore understood as the indwelling Soul, which is omnipotent, omnipresent and omniscient - the Supreme Self.

प्रकृति is a deeply personal enquiry of the artist's ego-identity, which goes beyond binary classifications and physical markers of race, class, caste and gender. ‘Chitta Vritti Nirodha’ is defined as cessation of the mind’s five afflictions (ignorance, ego, attachment, aversion, fear of death). Once this is achieved, one is in yog/yoga.

In this series, the artist portrays herself as प्रकृति/nature, manifested in the abstract. It is an attempt to reflect experiential moments, transcendence and bliss, alongside spiritual encounters within the material world.