Exhibition Review: A Myth of Two Souls
Vasantha Yogananthan An Ocean of Uncertainty, 2013 Black and white c-type print, hand painted 13.4 x 16.5 in Edition 7 of 7 +AP
Written by Anvita Brahmbhatt
Photo Edited by Tania Flores
Copy Edited by Chloë Rain
Indian mythology and its tales circle around the ‘good triumphs over evil’ theme. The Mahabharata, The Ramayana, the sacred Bhagavad Gita are examples of the power of inspirational storytelling wherein divine intervention assists man choose the right path. Growing up, children in India are told versions of these mythological stories by their grandparents. Knowing that their gods were fallible, and that every person must focus on his karma (the sum of a person’s actions) gave Indians a definition of their culture before Westernization. Vasantha Yogananthan’s A Myth of Two Souls is a recontextualization of The Ramayana in today’s day and age through portrait photography in India, Nepal and Sri Lanka.
Vasantha Yogananthan Demigod, 2019 Archival Inkjet print on Canson printmaking Rag 310gsm paper 25.25 x 32 in Edition 1 of 7 +AP
Yogananthan’s Demigod portrait is a modern-day depiction of Lord Vishnu and his reincarnation, Lord Rama of the Ramayana. Instead of portraying him as an all-powerful, hypermasculine character, there is a sense of poignant sensitivity and vulnerability in this portrait. The blue color dying his skin is reminiscent of the color of gods in the mythological stories, but his face is a reminder of his human attributes. The sea monster in the Ramayana acted as a hurdle for the gods as it emerged from the waters of Sri Lanka. The Sea Monster portrait of the man wrapped in fishing nets with his hand reaching out is a reminder of the sea monsters of today: man and his interventions. The hand appears to reach within the atmosphere after having destroyed the sea. The amalgamation of mythology and contemporary India is a recurring theme in Yogananthan’s works.
Vasantha Yogananthan Sea Monster, 2018 Archival Inkjet print on Canson printmaking Rag 310gsm paper 25.8 x 32 in Edition 7 of 7 +AP
In Valmiki’s Ramayana, Lord Hanuman and his vanar-sena (army of monkeys) had to help Lord Rama cross the ocean to rescue his wife, Sita in Lanka. An Ocean of Uncertainty depicts two men, staring into the ocean, as a boat passes by. The bright colors of their clothes is in sharp contrast to the dark environment which is a reminder of the hope that Lord Hanuman brought in the darkness of Lord Rama’s life. They look towards the boat, as it acts as more than just a medium of transportation but as a way towards certainty. Similarly, What A Princess Should Wear is a take on the role of women in Indian mythology. The photograph is a remembrance of many paintings depicting Lord Sita surrounded by women when she was captured by Ravana. She is waiting for Lord Rama to come and rescue her, and the women accompany her. The colors of the saris-pink, red, orange, and purple-are in contrast with the lifelessness of the figures over which the saris are draped.
Vasantha Yogananthan Dandaka, 2018 Black and white c-type print, hand painted 13.4 x 16.5 in Artist Proof, Edition of 7 +AP
Lastly, Dandaka stays true to the mythological roots of Ravana’s homeland that is now called Dandakaranya. The trees of the forest make up the photograph, representing the changes in humanity, and morality but perseverance of nature. A Myth of Two Souls is a modern retake on Ramayana, and thus, a visual depiction of a cultural and westernized shift in India. Vasantha Yogananthan’s photography is a solemn, yet welcome change in representing Indian mythology and retelling of The Ramayana.
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