Shiva, 2018
Acrylic On Canvas
18″x24″
Signed: Bottom right corner of the painting
Among Hindu deities most unique
Meditates on Himalayan peak
In temples sits as a phallic emblem
At centre under the spire as ‘lingam’
He is the deity with the ‘third eye’
With it He burnt all Desires awry
In fun and frolic Bhole abounds
In His meditation He is profound.
-Prof. Dr. C. P. Sharma
This captivating portrayal of Shiva Linga is from the artist’s Lord Shiva Series. Lord Shiva, one of the most important gods in the Hindu pantheon, is often referred to or symbolized as Linga or Shiva Linga. Linga, the aniconic representation of the deity, means phallus. It is placed on a platform called Yoni, which means Vulva. This consummation represents the conceptualized gateway to creation. This acrylic on canvas shows rugged strokes that give an ancient and earthy ambience to the entire painting. The bottom of the Linga has a drip effect, one of the artist’s preferred techniques. The meticulous use of black hue shows a beautifully sculpted stone, with a tinge of red on top, perhaps vermillion poured out by the priest. The background is rusty with different shades of yellow and brown, like a compelling ode to Bhagvad Gita. This contrast of the background and the subject is a flawless amalgamation of faith and enlightenment.
Born on 25 April 1991, Mrinal Dutt, is a self-taught contemporary artist based in Gujarat. He is an Electrical Engineer turned artist and his inspiration was the exemplary M F Hussain. He paints mainly in Acrylic, and the characters which set the stage of his canvas are mostly inspired by deities like Lord Krishna and Lord Shiva, and themes are usually figurative, mythology, ancient temples, depiction of Navratri, bulls, classical dance, and faces of women with only a bindi. He also painted a segment from the Mahabharata, a Sanskrit epic of ancient India. He says, “Being artists, we have a power to see the world differently.” His insignia mark is dripping effect we see in almost all of his paintings. He has had 5 Solo shows and many more to come.
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