The Painting
Concept, background of Kali Painting. The squares opening, one square revolving around one point in motion represents the awakening of subconsciousness around a focus. One connects with the inner self, awakens to find the power, the Shakti within oneself and thus connects with ‘Adi Shakti’, the Omnipotent, Omniscient and Omnipresent Shakti (Primordial Inconceivable Energy). The darkness or blackness is the state of mind, the despondence, fear, bleeding pain and feeling of loss especially this year which is lightened by the awakening of the inner self to find Power Within.
Inspiration of the Painting
The painting is inspired by my Bengali Heritage. I grew up worshipping Ma Kali. Kali comes from the Sanskrit root word Kal which means time. There is nothing that escapes the all-consuming march of time. Mother Kali is the most misunderstood of the Hindu goddesses. The Encyclopedia Britannica is grossly mistaken in the following quote, “Major Hindu goddess whose iconography, cult, and mythology commonly associate her with death, sexuality, violence, and, paradoxically in some of her later historical appearances, motherly love.”
Kali is considered as “Adi Shakti” or “Adi Para Shakti” (i.e., Primordial Inconceivable Energy). On every plane of creation, Energy manifests itself in all forms of matter, energy flows from one form to another but not lost, the energy in the form of life within us is connected to the supreme energy Brahman. She is present in us and everything we see. Ma Kali is the Power that drives this world, the Infinite form of the Paraa Shakti. But Her true form is unknown, and beyond human understanding. She is Anaadi (with no beginning, no ending) and Nitya (forever).