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of the omnipotent good spirit over the evil. While Durga Kainthola’s ‘Garden of Spiritualism’ goads
us to look for the lord within, the golden in Sheela Chamaira’s work symbolizes Sai’s energy and
philosophy of ‘Sabka malik ek’. And perception and faith are more important than form or appearance
seems to be the message behind Ankit Patels’s deformed or reformed sculpture titled ‘Form’ as is the
case with Dharmendra Rathore’s painting that revokes the idea of Saisattva- Sab ka maalik ek or Sab
mei maalik ek... His ideals for peace and harmony are also featured in differently delineated work
by S Gopal and Sujata Miri.
Within and Without
‘With meditation, the difference between subject and object is lost and mind dissolves in unity’…
Sai’s love for nature that nurtures humanity is central to the painterly landscapes by artists Ananya
Banerjee, Kota Neelima, Aruna Vasudev and Rita Jhunjhunwala that appear submerged in a Heavenly
grace. Featuring lotus as a symbol of victory of good over the evil that flowers gloriously amidst
the slush where it is born and the water which sustains it, they evoke a sense of enlightenment.
Devangi’s work on the other hand uses tree as a symbol of awakening and life, a God’s gift to the
mankind like the Sai himself who propagated tranquility for our troubled world. The winged creature
by Shuvaprasanna is seen to appear on the horizon with his message of peace while Tejinder Kanda’s
imagery recreates an ambience of celebration as devotees throng at Shirdi for pilgrimage. Like the
light that dispels darkness; Sai inspires us to look within and transcend the difficult to lead a life of
harmony and peace.
Summary
The artists in the exhibition focus not just on the form but also the spirit and soul of what Sai
Baba stands for. Ranging from figuration to abstraction to impressionistic to tantric, as two or three
dimensional art and in variable combinations, most of the artistic creations are driven by a strong
religious fervor. But life is not just black and white. There are also numerous shades of grey inbetween
and the art works also explore the complexity of the world we inhabit with its mix of pretty
polished clean as well as the impure rough and jarring elevations and aberrations. Some set one’s
thought process in motion around questions of faith and myth whilst a few use it to reflect their
socio-political anxieties. Some appear in the guise of edificatory, others opt to use it as a forum in
search of communal harmony. There are works that provide visual delight and others that question or
arouse a soul enhancing/spiritual experience. Essentially the art works in the collection are symbolic
of a real life story that has taken many interesting turns and twists to reach a zenith, uplifting the
protagonist to a Godly status.
The artists and the Art Positive gallery through their creative expressions not only offer the viewer
a multifarious show, but also contribute a proportion of the sale proceeds from the art works in the
exhibition to support the charities associated with Shirdi Shri Sai Baba Sansthan Trust- through this
commendable initiative.
Sushma K Bahl, MBE, Independant Curator, Writer & Consultant of Cultural Projects
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