THE NEO RAGAMALA | Kuldeep Singh

THE NEO RAAGMALA

These paintings integrate an emic approach to the study of Hindustani (North Indian) classical music with visual art components – resulting in finding inventive ways of relating queer male bodies to an ecofeminist paradigm, layered with a decolonial outlook.

These new works, began taking an entry point from the historic ‘ragamala’ paintings of Central India (Malwa, 16th to 18th century CE) which portray music through the metaphoric representations of a given musical melody [raga] and a suggested portrayal of nature, rendered in a limited palette. Each note in a specific raga is associated with a peculiar color, which helps to establish the specific emotion. My choice of use of color is informed by this knowledge, for example deep midnight blue or indigo hue is the color of sensuality. An array of earth tones complete my color palette, connecting directly to the land.

The musical components lead to an added sensitivity to ecological elements, where the bodies find inventive myths (on sexuality, control and power) from antiquity that are hybridized to present concerns.