Shiva Ratri

By Kushal Bastakoti, Nepal

Artists have the ability to visualize an idea or concept. Over the years, I have enjoyed working in a variety of modes (abstraction, representation, illustration, non objective) and a variety of subject matters such as landscapes, cityscapes and figure drawings.

For years, I was intrigued about how nudity was used in Hindu temples at which I worshipped, specifically in the architecture pillar known as “Tudals”. These pillars included nudes and sculptural elements. Hinduism is not open about sex, however religious sites have portrayed nudes, sexuality, the human life-cycle, and sensational imaginaiers for centuries without any hesitation. Tudal’s serves many functions : to teach married couples about the proper sexual practices, to spark arousal in those same worshippers in the hope of growing the Hindu population, and to repel evil spirits from the temple itself.

Referencing the tudal tradition, I created a body of large scale works that represent the story of the human life cycle. I also choose to employ the stylization and non realistic proportion used in Tudal art. I started with a loose expressive fill of color and textures using acrylic paint: I then applied a charcoal underdrawing for figures, on top of which I flushed out the forms and refined the color with oil paint. I used the symbols for King and Queen/Shiva and Parvati as the main character in this series. Through the representation of taboo subject matters — sex, nudity, and eroticism — I want to share my specific cultural background, and bring awareness to the Hindu Tudal tradition.

Title : Shiva Ratri
Size: 48 x 48 inches
Medium: Mixed media on canvas
Year : 2020