SAMANTARAL: PARALLEL PATHS

Mythology, to me, is a collection of stories that developed across different historical periods of human civilization. Through their interaction with human psychology, these narratives gradually gave rise to religions, belief systems, and cultural values. As societies expanded and populations grew, these mythological structures continued to influence social organization, collective consciousness, and even economic systems.
I believe art is not only a mirror of society and human consciousness but also a powerful tool capable of challenging and transforming existing perspectives. With this series, I wanted to explore the possibility of art acting as a key that can loosen social rigidity created by deeply rooted beliefs and religious sentiments. For that reason, I consciously chose not to remain minimal. Instead of expressing the concept through a single image, I developed a sequence of paintings that unfolds as a narrative. Storytelling became essential because the themes of transformation, attachment, desire, and social perception could not be contained within one isolated frame. Visually, I combined influences from older Asian and South Asian artistic traditions, particularly Thangka painting, Indian miniature painting and styles developed in Bengal School, with contemporary illustration practices and flat color applications. Rather than treating these traditions as separate visual languages, I attempted to allow them to coexist within the same narrative space.
One of the most important aspects of this series is its use of color. Since the story revolves around the breaking of conventional and stereotypical ideas surrounding relationships between two individuals, I deliberately rejected familiar color associations. Throughout the series, I assigned colors that appear unrelated or opposite to the subjects they represent. For example, in Character II: Syamantak, the character belongs to the earth and exists beneath the open sky. Conventionally, the sky would be represented through shades of blue. However, to reinforce the idea of disrupting accepted visual codes, I painted the sky in red. Similarly, in Character I: Kumbha, who emerges from the sea, I replaced the expected blue of water with red. In both cases, the color choices function as visual acts of resistance against established expectations. The same principle extends to the paintings that depict attraction, intimacy, affection, desire, and love. Red is perhaps the most widely accepted color associated with these emotions. To challenge that convention, I replaced red with green and blue tonalities in the backgrounds. Since the relationship portrayed in the series is often perceived as unconventional, unnatural, or socially unrecognized, I chose colors that stand in opposition to traditional visual codes of romance. The colors themselves become a metaphor for a love that exists outside accepted norms.
The recurring black cloak that appears throughout the series is another significant element. It symbolizes the attachment that binds the two characters together. The question often arises: why black? Through my own observations, I realized that white is frequently treated as a universal symbol of goodness, purity, and positivity. However, much of that symbolism emerges from specific cultural histories and later became normalized through dominant Western visual traditions. Within many South Asian contexts, black does not necessarily signify evil or negativity. Figures such as Mahakaal embody blackness while simultaneously representing divinity, power, and protection. Historically, black has often held meanings that are far more complex than simple moral opposition. Yet over time, external visual and cultural influences have reshaped how these symbols are commonly interpreted.
In this series, the relationship between the two characters is natural, affectionate, and deeply human, yet it is frequently judged as immoral, unnatural, or wrong. By representing their bond through black, I deliberately reverse those imposed assumptions. Here, black becomes a symbol of warmth, intimacy, beauty, protection, and positive energy. It represents the authenticity of their connection rather than the prejudices projected onto it.