The Kalamkaar Art Gallery at Bikaner House, New Delhi, is displaying an exhibition called “The Devine Element Volume 1”, by Divyaman Singh. Self-taught artist Divyaman Singh’s colourful oil paintings in “The Devine Element Volume 1,” curated by Shahzada Khurram, offer an engrossing journey into spirituality, celestial influence, and human existence. Khurram has previously headed some notable art institutions like the Bikaner House, Partition Museum and Sankriti Museum.
The exhibition displays Paintings of the Divine elements; earth, water, fire, air and space. In the exhibition, one is immediately drawn to Singh’s compositions. These elements are often used metaphorically to describe aspects of the natural world, human personality, and spiritual beliefs. The moon which has been imagined as Sunya or zero is a metaphor for nothingness. It’s essential to note that the origin stories and interpretations of the elements vary significantly across different cultures and philosophical frameworks. While some may view the elements as emerging from nothingness, others may attribute their creation to different principles or entities. The artist invites us to consider the cyclical rhythms of life and the limitless potential found in emptiness through this cryptic artwork.
However, beyond the mere portrayal of elements, Singh’s works explore into the interplay between the cosmos and human experience. The concept of the five elements serves as a symbolic framework for understanding the natural world and human experience rather than a literal description of their origin. His paintings serve as portals to a deeper understanding of our place in the universe, where spiritual insights intertwine with celestial forces to shape our collective destiny.
Through “The Devine Element Volume 1” we are reminded of the vast interconnectivity of all existence and the never-ending dance of creation and dissolution that forms our universe via the perspective of Divyaman Singh.
Iftikar Ahmed is a New Delhi-based art writer, researcher and curator.
