Caught on between the Worlds
- My state of BEING
Caught on between the Worlds
- My state of BEING
Caught on between the Worlds
- My state of BEING
Mixed Media | Three-Part Series by Aditi Gupta
Mixed Media | Three-Part Series by Aditi Gupta
Mixed Media | Three-Part Series by Aditi Gupta
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This body of work arises from the conflict of being caught between two worlds —
the dance between power, privilege and oppression and disruption,
the material reality and the spiritual realms, the outer and the inner worlds.
It speaks of my entanglements and perhaps many more who experience it as me. — of living within a colonized self shaped by my education, higher education, family, friends, and media that pushed me toward Westernization. This sneaked in my life in form of English medium education, going to convent mission school, universitas being civilised an elite ( English way ). Then making my life worthwhile only when i had a successful higher education, great job title a fat salary, and was DOING FUN THINGS and eating FUN FOOD and also wearing FASHIONABLE clothes and doing COOL STUFF. While carrying an unending call toward inner self realisation, the mandala is the representation of that which is in centre of each of these paintings — the decolonized self ( original roots of my culture, heritage and its wisdom) that seeks wholeness, consciousness, and connection.
I only realised it much later in life that the Colonized world I was trained to survive in focuses on material gain, control, and exploitation. A world built on accumulation, performance, and power is based on power, privilege, competition and the constant need of seeking something more. So naturally I always felt alone, disconnected and not
being enough.
Yet within me remains a light that cannot be extinguished. As i can never use my assets, talents , power and privilege to exploit someone else or shut a blind eye towards the other.
I found during this process of painting my inner world, the ancient knowing from the Advaitic truth: Aham Brahmasmi and Tat Tvam Asi. I am That Brahma. You are That. All is one and that’s the core of my being.
This is why at the centre of each painting sits a Mandala. The seeds of this were planted in me by my ancestors, my grandmother, and in her, from her ancestors. This seed travels from centuries and will continue to do so through time in the future. Where we realise that we are much more than our material reality.
Even though I exist, function, survive and perform within colonized, capitalist systems, the inner light endures. It makes me struggle deeply — to bring truth to myself and to the world, to live consciously within a world of power and oppression, to hold compassion in distortion. This struggle is both a wound and a teacher — a continual act of remembrance.
Piece One: The Chaos and Entanglement
The dance between the colonized and the decolonized self — the inner pull and outer pressure, the simultaneous belonging and alienation. It's a play between wanting bliss, joy and truth but seeking it in wrong places in success, in material growth and external accomplishments.
Piece Two: Outer Disruption
The restless, fractured world of capitalism, consumerism, and control — the visible disruption of the material realm. Seeking success, material infinite growth and material self actualisation.
Piece Three: Inner Becoming
The sacred inner world — aligned yet frightened, wounded yet luminous,
seeking self-awareness, grounding, truth, compassion, and light for all around. Seeking Empowerment, self realisation and consciousness.
This body of work arises from the conflict of being caught between two worlds —
the dance between power, privilege and oppression and disruption,
the material reality and the spiritual realms, the outer and the inner worlds.
It speaks of my entanglements and perhaps many more who experience it as me. — of living within a colonized self shaped by my education, higher education, family, friends, and media that pushed me toward Westernization. This sneaked in my life in form of English medium education, going to convent mission school, universitas being civilised an elite ( English way ). Then making my life worthwhile only when i had a successful higher education, great job title a fat salary, and was DOING FUN THINGS and eating FUN FOOD and also wearing FASHIONABLE clothes and doing COOL STUFF. While carrying an unending call toward inner self realisation, the mandala is the representation of that which is in centre of each of these paintings — the decolonized self ( original roots of my culture, heritage and its wisdom) that seeks wholeness, consciousness, and connection.
I only realised it much later in life that the Colonized world I was trained to survive in focuses on material gain, control, and exploitation. A world built on accumulation, performance, and power is based on power, privilege, competition and the constant need of seeking something more. So naturally I always felt alone, disconnected and not
being enough.
Yet within me remains a light that cannot be extinguished. As i can never use my assets, talents , power and privilege to exploit someone else or shut a blind eye towards the other.
I found during this process of painting my inner world, the ancient knowing from the Advaitic truth: Aham Brahmasmi and Tat Tvam Asi. I am That Brahma. You are That. All is one and that’s the core of my being.
This body of work arises from the conflict of being caught between two worlds —
the dance between power, privilege and oppression and disruption,
the material reality and the spiritual realms, the outer and the inner worlds.
It speaks of my entanglements and perhaps many more who experience it as me. — of living within a colonized self shaped by my education, higher education, family, friends, and media that pushed me toward Westernization. This sneaked in my life in form of English medium education, going to convent mission school, universitas being civilised an elite ( English way ). Then making my life worthwhile only when i had a successful higher education, great job title a fat salary, and was DOING FUN THINGS and eating FUN FOOD and also wearing FASHIONABLE clothes and doing COOL STUFF. While carrying an unending call toward inner self realisation, the mandala is the representation of that which is in centre of each of these paintings — the decolonized self ( original roots of my culture, heritage and its wisdom) that seeks wholeness, consciousness, and connection.
I only realised it much later in life that the Colonized world I was trained to survive in focuses on material gain, control, and exploitation. A world built on accumulation, performance, and power is based on power, privilege, competition and the constant need of seeking something more. So naturally I always felt alone, disconnected and not
being enough.
Yet within me remains a light that cannot be extinguished. As i can never use my assets, talents , power and privilege to exploit someone else or shut a blind eye towards the other.
I found during this process of painting my inner world, the ancient knowing from the Advaitic truth: Aham Brahmasmi and Tat Tvam Asi. I am That Brahma. You are That. All is one and that’s the core of my being.
This is why at the centre of each painting sits a Mandala. The seeds of this were planted in me by my ancestors, my grandmother, and in her, from her ancestors. This seed travels from centuries and will continue to do so through time in the future. Where we realise that we are much more than our material reality.
Even though I exist, function, survive and perform within colonized, capitalist systems, the inner light endures. It makes me struggle deeply — to bring truth to myself and to the world, to live consciously within a world of power and oppression, to hold compassion in distortion. This struggle is both a wound and a teacher — a continual act of remembrance.
Piece One: The Chaos and Entanglement
The dance between the colonized and the decolonized self — the inner pull and outer pressure, the simultaneous belonging and alienation. It's a play between wanting bliss, joy and truth but seeking it in wrong places in success, in material growth and external accomplishments.
Piece Two: Outer Disruption
The restless, fractured world of capitalism, consumerism, and control — the visible disruption of the material realm. Seeking success, material infinite growth and material self actualisation.
Piece Three: Inner Becoming
The sacred inner world — aligned yet frightened, wounded yet luminous,
seeking self-awareness, grounding, truth, compassion, and light for all around. Seeking Empowerment, self realisation and consciousness.
. You are That. All is one that’s core my being. This is why at centre of each painting sits Mandala. The seeds of this was planted in me by my ancestor my grand mother and in her from her ancestor and this seed traves from centuries and will continue through time in future. Where we realise that we but much more than than our material reality.
Even though I exist , function, survive and perform within colonized, capitalist systems, the inner light endures. It makes me struggle deeply — to bring truth to myself and to the world, to live consciously within world or power and oppression, to hold compassion in distortion. This struggle is both a wound and a teacher — a continual act of remembrance.
Piece One — The Chaos and Entanglement
The dance between the colonized and the decolonized self — the inner pull and outer pressure, the simultaneous belonging and alienation. Its a play between wanting bliss, joy and truth but seeking it in wrong places in success, in material growth and external accomplishments.
Piece Two — Outer Disruption
The restless, fractured world of capitalism, consumerism, and control — the visible disruption of the material realm. Seeking success, material infinite growth and material self actualisation.
Piece Three — Inner Becoming
The sacred inner world — aligned yet frightened, wounded yet luminous,
seeking self-awareness, grounding, truth, compassion, and light for all around. Seeking Empowerment, self realisation and consciousness.
This body of work arises from the conflict of being caught between two worlds —
the dance between power , privilege and oppression and disruption,
the material reality and the spiritual realms, the outer and the inner worlds.
It speaks of my entanglements and perhaps many more who experience it as me. — of living within a colonized self shaped by my education, higher education family, friends, and media that pushed me toward Westernization. This sneaked in my life in form of English medium education, going to convent mission school, universitas being civilised an elite ( English way ). Then making my life worthwhile only when i had a successful higher education, great job title a fat salary, and was DOING FUN THINGS and eating FUN FOOD and also wearing FASIONABLE clothes and doing COOL STUFF. While carrying an unending call toward inner self realisation, the mandala is the representation of that which is in centre of each of these paintings — the decolonized self ( original roots of my culture, heritage and its wisdom) that seeks wholeness, consciousness, and connection.
I only realised it much latter in life that the Colonized world I was trained to survive in focuses on material gain, control, and exploitation. a world built on accumulation, performance, and power. —is based on power and privilege, competition and constant need of seeking something more. So natural I always felt alone, disconnected and not being enough.
Yet within me remains a light that cannot be extinguished — As i can never use my a my assets, talents , power and privilege to exploit some else or shut a blind eyes towards the other.
I found during this process of painting my inner world that the ancient knowing from the Advaitic truth: Aham Brahmasmi and Tat Tvam Asi.I am That Brahma.
. You are That. All is one that’s core my being. This is why at centre of each painting sits Mandala. The seeds of this was planted in me by my ancestor my grand mother and in her from her ancestor and this seed traves from centuries and will continue through time in future. Where we realise that we but much more than than our material reality.
Even though I exist , function, survive and perform within colonized, capitalist systems, the inner light endures. It makes me struggle deeply — to bring truth to myself and to the world, to live consciously within world or power and oppression, to hold compassion in distortion. This struggle is both a wound and a teacher — a continual act of remembrance.
Piece One — The Chaos and Entanglement
The dance between the colonized and the decolonized self — the inner pull and outer pressure, the simultaneous belonging and alienation. Its a play between wanting bliss, joy and truth but seeking it in wrong places in success, in material growth and external accomplishments.
Piece Two — Outer Disruption
The restless, fractured world of capitalism, consumerism, and control — the visible disruption of the material realm. Seeking success, material infinite growth and material self actualisation.
Piece Three — Inner Becoming
The sacred inner world — aligned yet frightened, wounded yet luminous,
seeking self-awareness, grounding, truth, compassion, and light for all around. Seeking Empowerment, self realisation and consciousness.