GALLERY INRTODUCTION
Sabita Dangol’s current series is titled “Inclination of the Soul” – these works were created over a five year period and through the pandemic and is a significant expansion of her earlier body of work..
Married to the artist Ishan Pariyar for just over 6 years , Sabita’s paintings are a celebration of their conjugal bliss and a personal meditative reflection on life itself. As in the past , Dangol situates her couple in an idyllic garden-scape or nature scape that is replete with water bodies, trees , flora and fauna , aquatic, mammalian , avian and insect life. This quest for ecological harmony and the balance of nature is central to the artist’s work. The artist also situates some of her work in idyllic cultural settings and draws from indigenous cultural motifs from the hills and plains of Nepal – and even in these works, we see that nature and culture are in harmony.
In the midst of these arresting myriad details and colors, Sabita paints the eternal couple rapturously gazing at each other – their love permeates through the busy detailed eternal garden of dreams that the artist has painstakingly created. This story of love or enrapturement transcends the past , present and future and is a timeless one. In each of the paintings Sabita paints the comb as a metaphor to remind us that we need to be mindful of the negative energies that permeate through the hurly burly of our lives. And that it is important and possible to sift out such energies to attain a state of personal bliss or enlightenment. An installation of eight painted combs, carved out of wood, connect her works and the audience to her personal spiritual journey or realization wherein the mindful message of love , compassion and harmony is artistically conveyed.
Sangeeta Thapa
Founder Director,
Siddhartha Arts Foundation
Siddhartha Art Gallery& Siidddhartha Arts Foundation
Founder Chair Kathmandu Triennale, Nepal
Inclinations of the souls
When I began in art, I did not think that I would employ it as a medium to explore my soul. Everything one experiences in the world; learning, showing compassion, understanding culture, being connected with nature, all of this is a manifestation of the spirit. No situation or experience will matter unless it touches the soul. It is from the soul that love awakens and it this love that makes humans yearn for the one who understands. Once the one who understands or beguiles is found, they become a couple. This is the theme of my works.
Until one realizes the world through the spirit, one would just be drifting into illusions. The world and the entire gamut of life experiences might not make sense. The paintings in this show are the reflection of my spirit as I journey through the various experiences in my life. My compositions stem from my imagination and touch the rim of my spirit. Some of my paintings are inclined toward nature and some express cultural continuity in Nepal. All of these experiences are reflected or experienced by the central figures, i.e. the couple in my works, hinting that every experience should be taken with love, compassion, and harmony. One of the recurring motifs is a comb that connects various images and narratives in my works. At times all of us have to face different obstacles in life. The comb in my work is a metaphor for untangling and one that maintains comfort and harmony. All the decorative patterns and designs are the waves that generate in my heart. These waves eventually make me realize that keeping calm and emanating love is the on way to live and realize life.
The colors that I have applied in my works represent my innermost thoughts and ideas. Different colors suggest different experiences that I have gone through. Through all these colors and forms I feel that I am heading toward a very peaceful space. When one views my paintings, specific patterns can hint at which time the works belong to or what message I intend to give. I have focused on cultural and traditional motifs to highlight my narratives. These motifs range from ancient water spouts, temples, traditional windows, prayer flags, paubhas, tundals, and so on.
The “Inclinations of the soul” series were created over a four year period from 2016 to 2022. In these works, one can find the overlapping of various experiences and responses to the current socio-political situations in our society. In all of my works, there is a central male and a female figure which represent nature and its origin. Without the origin of nature, one cannot imagine the world. Only when we take care of nature, will we be able to continue living. Otherwise, everything will come to a halt. When humans fight and want to claim their rights and freedom, we should not forget to be responsible towards other animals and beings and even towards our environment and its various components such as mountains, trees, and nature in general. Every entity has its own right to freedom. From the tiniest particles to huge objects, everything in nature has its own place and is equally important. In order to express such ideas, I have depicted trees in various colors. These trees are inhabited by various creatures suggesting that nature is our home and we are the ones who have to take care of it. For life to continue here, oxygen is a must. The trees and the plants, therefore, not only give us a sense of home but also give us life. I think it is a simple fact that when our understanding becomes basic, then only we can realize how truly uncomplicated life is. And when that happens, with all the social constructions, geographical separations, and political opinions, we are actually one complete entity.
Sabita Dangol
Visual Artist