Mumbai, September 13th, 2024 – Cosmos, Arvind Sundar’s art exhibition, commenced yesterday with great enthusiasm. The preview, held at Anupa Mehta Contemporary Art in Mumbai, was attended by art patron Sangita Jindal, Vasudha Ruia, and many others. The young artist guided the guests through his artwork, which emerged from his residency at Hampi Art Labs and is inspired by Hampi’s architectural and mythical wonders.
Known primarily as a painter, the artist’s immersion in the ancient and spiritually rich environment of Hampi led to a profound shift, moving from two-dimensional canvases to intricate, three-dimensional explorations. This body of work, rooted in the intersections of geometry, mathematics, and mythology, stands as a testament to this evolution and the enduring dialogue between art history and contemporary practice.
The artist creates a compelling narrative through Cosmos that intertwines personal evolution with broader historical and contemporary art discourses. This exhibition invites viewers to engage with the timeless questions of existence, exploring how geometry, mythology, and mathematical principles converge to reveal the profound complexities of the cosmos. Each work stands as a meditation on the artist’s transformative experience in Hampi, bridging past and present, the seen and the unseen, the logical and the mystical.
One of the works in the exhibition, titled Nature of the Landscape, (see image and details below) explores the profound concepts of Swayambhu (Sanskrit word that means “self- manifested”, the main shiva Linga idol in Hampi Virupaksha Temple is considered a Swayambhu) and the infinite fabric of the cosmic space through the newly discovered *Einstein shape, weaving them together to create a unique landscape of myth and mathematics. The piece consists of around 300 ceramic tiles, each meticulously crafted in the enigmatic Einstein shape. These tiles are arranged on the floor in a non-repetitive, aperiodic pattern, symbolizing the boundless nature of the cosmos.
The central rock serves as the Swayambhu in the midst of the cosmic fabric, embodying the self-manifested essence of nature amidst human-imposed order. Swayambhu is a metaphor for the intrinsic order and chaos found within the cosmos. Just as a rock may exist in perfect harmony with its surroundings, untouched and unshaped by human hands, so too does the universe expand and transform according to its own inherent principles.
