Golden Womb

The ultimate Source of Universe

Celebrated artist Seema Kohli’s body of works ‘Hiranya Garbha – The Golden Womb’ is not just a manifestation of the multi-dimensions and engaging in diversity of art forms, it is also her years of exploration of the self, her creative travel and the constant endeavour to understand the ultimate truth of life and the universe.

To begin with, the paintings done in contemporary idiom are embedded in ancient mythology, philosophy and scriptures. The vibrancy of colours, the intensity of expressions are heightened by the use of the multiple forms; paintings, sculptures, prints, poetry and performative acts, sometimes used together, and at other times as unique entities.

And, the dynamic and free-flowing forms, rhythmic patterns begin to engage with you, communicate, and invoke you to debate, contemplate and dwell upon the journey that the artist herself has traversed in order to create the piece of art.

Speaking to the artist is a part of this artistic experience, and adds yet another dimension to the process. Seema Kohli says that the seeds of questioning were sowed in her as a young kid in a family that was spiritual but would encourage questioning. “The whole idea behind the work is the communication that first happens within.

To share this there was a paper and a canvas that I could use to express my understanding in the language of symbols and images – and that is how drawing came about. As I was growing, I was almost given concepts on a platter because of my family and environment around me. My family was open to all religions, thoughts, ideas, and would constantly want us to understand and think. I can never take things for what they are. And thus began my constant questioning of who I am, and where I came from.”

“If we take the story of Parusuram – he is very human – he is not like a mythical figure. Buddha, Nanak, Kabir – were all very human. Their karmic improvisation and constant pushing boundaries, and questioning made them larger than life, and they became bigger than us,” the senior artist says.

“Even we can become great – but who is ready to struggle, ready to question?”She adds. At the core of her work is the ultimate power – the feminine form that is the creator of the universe. “My quest for the core reason of existence led to the question of consciousness – and this is all my work is about. And this led me to the realisation – my belief of how we are all the part of Maya, the prakriti - the feminine form.”

Seema Kohli’s works celebrate life – the feminine form. She explains, “We are all feminine. We are always creating, regenerating ourselves. When this realisation came, the whole thought process changed and the idea of “Hiranya Garbha” came about – the Golden Womb from where we all are emerging.”

The idea of Hiranya Garbha leads to a beautiful thought of love and oneness. “There is so much of love between the children of the same family, because they share the same space. They share the same womb of a mother. But whose blood is running in all of us. It is ultimately one prakriti from where we all emerged. How have we all forgotten this so easily,” she questions.

This constant questioning led to Seema exploring the idea thoroughly, and in the process also dabbling with a variety of medium in expressing her thoughts and her discovery of the ultimate truth. “When you understand the truth, it is a form of liberation.

Hiranya Garbha is only relevant if there is a celebration of birth, which is happening all the time. It is not just the physical birth; physiological, psychological, spiritual, intellectual, ideological, social – anything you take - there is a garbh-womb at any state, at any time.”

Her series is all about celebration of life. The feminine part of the concept of “Ardhanareeswara” – the complete balance of energies that Seema says exists in the core source of energy – Surya. “It is a mantra from Yajurved, which says, there is only one Surya, one source of energy, one garbha from which we have all taken birth. There is nothing like death.

We are taking different forms constantly as energy is going into different directions. Every day we are striving to do something different, and that’s what Prakriti is doing. At the same time, I believe Surya is male, and suddenly when I was thinking that it is garbh we are talking about, I started wondering about the concept of gender. And that brought me to the idea of Ardhanareeswara.

There is part of Surya which is feminine, whose job is to celebrate of life. And my series ‘Golden Womb’ is all about celebrating life.” Seema Kohli is currently exhibiting ‘The Golden Womb’ series at Kalakriti Art Gallery, Hyderabad.