Some call it ‘abstract expressionism’; others insist it’s just a visual interplay of cosmic symbols. ‘Neo-Tantra’ or what started as an artists’ movement (of sorts) in the ’60s, might have lost many of its masters, but still survives in its innumerable interpretations.
Tantra originated from the union of Shiva and Shakti, an intense practice of rituals and customs. While I don’t practice that, as an artist it still remains a socially relevant form of self expression. It delves into the source and the core of existence,” this is the statement of artist who work with the mandalas (geometric patterns), pure colours and cosmic geometry.
Tantra is a body of beliefs and practices that enables individuals to conjoin with something much larger than themselves—nothing short of cosmic forces. Tools (in the broadest sense) that facilitate transcendence are omnipresent for those who are attuned: rituals, drawings, maps, sculptures, and chants, to name just a few.
A religious practice that prescribes breaking of taboos, equality of the sexes and sexual freedom, Tantra found its artistic impressions with various symbols like the lingam and yoni in sculptures and scrolls of ancient India. After Ajit Mookerjee’s giant tome Tantra Art in 1966 — he was the then director and curator of the Crafts Museum — artists like Sohan Qadri, GR Santosh, Vasudevan, Biren De, KCS Paniker and J Swaminathan were ‘influenced’ immensely by this philosophy. Thus was born Neo-Tantra, a form that art critic Suneet Chopra cautiously refers to as a broadly ‘aesthetic and visual exercise’ or ‘non-figurative abstract,’ but not based on scriptures.
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