Abhay K’s ‘Shunyata’ Art Exhibition in New Delhi Explores Buddhist Philosophy
An art exhibition by Indian poet-diplomat Abhay K titled ‘Shunyata’ will be held at Alliance Francaise in New Delhi from September 4 to 10. The exhibition delves into the Buddhist concept of ‘Shunyata’ or ‘Emptiness’.
Abhay K’s Creative Process
Abhay K shared, “When I stared at the empty canvas, I had no clue what I was going to paint. I started with making a circle and filling it with paint and it started taking form. Each time a new form took shape on the canvas, I felt mesmerised. I started enjoying the process.”
He further added, “These paintings are visualizations of emptiness. Forms are visible when one looks at them closely, but as one moves away from them, forms disappear and what remains is emptiness, a true validation of the crux of the Heart Sutra — ‘form is emptiness, emptiness is form.’ The forms that appear are mere approximations of figures familiar and unfamiliar, gods and goddesses, mortals and immortals, plants and animals. They are all transient. They appear and then vanish. Emptiness remains.”
About Abhay K
Abhay K is a poet, editor, translator, artist, and diplomat. He has authored several poetry collections and edited six books, including ‘The Book of Bihari Literature’. His poems have appeared in over a hundred literary magazines worldwide, and his ‘Earth Anthem’ has been translated into over 160 languages. He received the SAARC Literary Award in 2013 and recorded his poems at the Library of Congress in Washington, DC, in 2018. His translations of Kalidasa’s Meghaduta and Ritusamhara won him the KLF Poetry Book of the Year Award in 2020-21. His translation of the Magahi novel Fool Bahadur has been published by Penguin Random House, India.
Artistic Journey and Praise
Abhay K’s artistic journey began in 2005 in Moscow, Russia. He has exhibited his artworks in Paris, St Petersburg, New Delhi, Brasilia, and Antananarivo, with some pieces in private collections worldwide.
Yamini Dand Shah, a curator at Kala Ghoda Arts Festival, Mumbai, commented, “Suprematism is at its best here…as Malevich deconstructed art itself. It illuminates the urge for expansion of art practice, ideation, perspectives and conviviality. The paradigm of planetism, Vasudhaiva Kutambakam are not only tropes for art exhibits but translate into a worldview that Abhay K inhabits and enables others to envision.”
Rajeev Lochan, former Director of the National Gallery of Modern Art, India, said, “Abhay’s artworks address realized worldly issues with a sense of introspection.”
Russian art critic Stanislav Savitsky remarked, “Abhay K. creates an allegory of planetary consciousness – emblems of the unity of the peoples. He draws images of spiritual unity, a futuristic reworking of figurative and suprematic motives.”
Doubts Revealed
Abhay K -: Abhay K is an Indian poet, diplomat, and artist. He writes poems, translates works, and creates art.
Shunyata -: Shunyata is a Buddhist concept that means ‘Emptiness’. It teaches that everything is interconnected and nothing exists independently.
Alliance Francaise -: Alliance Francaise is a French cultural center. It promotes French language and culture in different countries, including India.
New Delhi -: New Delhi is the capital city of India. It is known for its rich history and cultural heritage.
Buddhist Philosophy -: Buddhist Philosophy is a way of thinking based on the teachings of Buddha. It focuses on understanding life, suffering, and the path to enlightenment.
Art Critics -: Art critics are people who review and evaluate art. They share their opinions on the quality and meaning of artworks.
Planetary Consciousness -: Planetary Consciousness means being aware of and caring for the Earth and all its inhabitants. It involves thinking about how our actions affect the planet.
