Samsara and Metamorphosis: The Mystical World of Seema Kohli
Pacific Art League, Palo Alto, California
Seema Kohli
Seema Kohli
2019
Photos
The performance was presented in 2019 at the amphitheatre in Sunder Nursery, New Delhi
A Circle of Our Own is an experiential narrative performance by Seema Kohli that emerged from her ongoing exploration of the divine feminine energy — Hiranyagarbha, the Golden Womb — the primordial space of creation from which Prakriti unfolds. Through this work, Kohli expanded her engagement with the concept of Shakti, turning her attention to the powerful presence of the Chausat Yoginis, the sixty-four feminine manifestations of cosmic energy found in Indian spiritual traditions.
The performance was presented in 2019 at the amphitheatre in Sunder Nursery, New Delhi, as part of the exhibition A Circle of Our Own, presented by Gallery Ragini and curated by Shaunak Mahbubani. The exhibition itself was installed around the historic Mughal lotus pond at Sunder Nursery, where Kohli’s sculptures, etchings, and installations formed a circular environment inspired by the architecture of ancient Yogini temples.
Within this setting, the performance unfolded as a narrative exploration of Yogini energies. Historically, Yoginis were believed to exist in collective circles, inhabiting natural landscapes and sacred temple complexes that resonated with powerful spiritual and ecological energies. Their iconography often combines human and animal forms, suggesting the integration of instinct, intuition, and transcendental consciousness. For Kohli, these forms represent the possibility of moving beyond the limitations of analytical thought and accessing deeper intuitive knowledge.
Kohli’s engagement with Yogini traditions has been shaped by extensive research and travel to several ancient Yogini temple sites across India. Many of these once-vibrant spaces now lie abandoned, yet they retain a powerful resonance of the energies that once inhabited them. One particularly significant encounter occurred at a small underground shrine in Malhar, Madhya Pradesh, where Kohli encountered a sacred structure symbolically representing a yoni within a yoni — an image associated with the generative cosmic force of creation.
Through A Circle of Our Own, Kohli reimagined the Yoginis not as distant mythological figures but as living manifestations of Shakti. Each Yogini embodies a different aspect of this energy while remaining part of a unified cosmic circle. Over the years, Kohli has created sixty-four visual interpretations of Yoginis through paintings, drawings, sculptures, and installations; the performance extended this exploration into a shared experiential space where audiences became participants within the circle.
The work also reflected on the evolving role of the contemporary artist. For Kohli, artistic practice continues to resonate with the roles traditionally associated with priest, shaman, or storyteller — becoming a form of ritual, meditation, and collective reflection.
Through A Circle of Our Own, she invited viewers into a contemplative space where mythology, memory, nature, and imagination converge, reaffirming the enduring presence of the feminine cosmic energy within the world.
Pacific Art League, Palo Alto, California
Gallerie Nvya, Triveni Kala Sangam, New Delhi
Shridharani Gallery at Triveni Kala Sangam, presented by Gallerie Nvya, Delhi
National Gallery of Modern Art, Bengaluru
Seema Kohli Studio, New Delhi and The Partition Museum, Delhi
Tao Art Gallery, Mumbai
Bihar Museum, Patna
Bikaner House, New Delhi presented by Gallerie Nvya
Venue: Sunder Nursery, New Delhi, Presented by Gallery Ragini
Kolkata Centre for Creativity, Kolkata
Tao Art Gallery
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Drawings And Calligraphy Reproduced From Ancestral Books, Ink And Pencil On Archival Paper2019
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Tea Stains, Gouache And Inks On Paper13 x 4 ft2014
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Glass- Reinforced Polymer16 x 14 x 11 inches2018
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Intaglio Zinc Plate Etchings On Fabriano Paper5 x 5 inch diameter2014
Intaglio Zinc Plate Etchings On Fabriano Paper5 x 5 inch diameter2014
Intaglio Zinc Plate Etchings On Fabriano Paper5 x 5 inch diameter2014
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Thread, Beads And Sequence On Canvas Cloth54.75 x 46.5 inches2023
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Gambhari Wood, Steel And Brass FittingsW65 x L84 inches2023
Stainless Steel 6mm, Weight 180kg8 x 5 ft2023
Acrylic Colors And Ink On Canvas With 24kt Gold And Silver Leaf6 x 6 ft2023
Acrylic Colors And Ink On Canvas With 24kt Gold And Silver Leaf6 x 6 ft2023
Acrylic Colors And Ink On Canvas With 24kt Gold And Silver Leaf3 x 3 ft2023
Acrylic And Water Colors On Arches, 300gsm, Cold Press Paper10.2 x 14 inches2024
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Acrylic, Watercolours And Inks On 360gsm Paper4 x 5 ft2024
Acrylic Colors And Ink On Canvas With 24kt Gold And Silver Leaf6 x 6 ft2024
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Pen, Ink, Water And Gouache Colors On Paper (Stuck On Aluminium sheet)45 x 96 inches2020
Acrylic Colors And Ink On Canvas With 24kt Gold And Silver Leaf6 x 4 ft2020
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BronzeH 65 x L 49 x W 13 inches2026
Acrylic Colors And Ink On Canvas With 24kt Gold And Silver Leaf4 x 6 ft2023
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Woodcut Print On Paper121.92 x 152.4 cm2025
Woodcut On Schoelershammer 165 GSM3 x 3 ft2026
Etching On Arches Paper48 x 120 inches2014
Acrylic Colors And Ink On Canvas With 24kt Gold And Silver Leaf8 x 6 ft2025
Acrylic Colors And Ink On Canvas With Pure Silver Leaf4 x 10 inches2026
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Drawings On Archival Prints And Archival Ink And Gold Dust24 x 70 inches2023
Acrylic Colors And Ink On Canvas With 24kt Gold And Silver Leaf4 x 6 ft2023
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