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The Fourth Moon

2025

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The Fourth Moon
The Fourth Moon
The Fourth Moon
The Fourth Moon
The Fourth Moon
The Fourth Moon
The Fourth Moon
The Fourth Moon

About The Performance

Performed at National Gallery of Modern Art, Bengaluru as part of her ongoing Exhibition ‘Kaal Netra – Sacred Matrices’

Concept, script, and direction: Seema Kohli
Photography & Videography: Sakthi Bhagat
Musicians: Sahil Vasudeva and Sina Fakhroddin

“And seeing the full fourth moon up in the sky
I pick it up with the palm of my hand
The water trinkets down like mercury
As I hurry to gulp it down my throat
But as the moon touches the tip of my tongue
It explodes into a million stars
Opening each pore of my body
Twinkling down my spine
Activating each vertebra
.” – Seema Kohli

“The Fourth Moon,” is a 30 minutes live performance with a back projection, offering a profound meditation on the interconnectedness of existence, weaving together themes of nature, spirituality, and philosophical concepts. At its heart, it explores the multifaceted influence of the moon, both on the external world and on our internal being, ultimately leading to a realization of universal oneness.


The moon, emerges as a central, sentient entity. It transcends mere astronomical observation, portraying its deep connection to Earth, governing not only the literal nights and tides but also the subtle inner currents of the body. I experience the moon’s cosmic tension and the eternal rhythm of waxing and waning, light and shadow, absence, and presence as an intrinsic part of my own being, before consciously knowing about the moon’s influence. This intuitive understanding is juxtaposed with the scientific paradox of the moon lacking surface water yet exerting powerful gravitational pull-on Earth’s oceans. Extending this influence, I explore the belief that the moon affects water and hormonal levels within the human body. The narrative of a king whose form shifts with lunar cycles serves as a potent metaphor for the moon’s profound sway over our deepest internal states, including our emotions, anger, and passions.


The performance further deepens the connection between cosmic cycles and human experience through the myth of Persephone. The story illustrates the Earth’s seasonal rhythm: spring flourishing with Persephone’s presence and autumn descending with her departure to the underworld. This highlights the palpable relationship between Earth’s cycles and our physical existence. While our physical bodies are intrinsically linked to the elements of the Earth, I believe that our inner physicality is tethered to the moon. It is the moon that acts as the celestial orchestrator, balancing all the elements of nature within us and governing the “tides of our emotions and internal cycles.”


This dynamic relationship extends to the concept of defiance. I defy gravity, becoming one with the wind and sky, an act linked to a challenge received from the moon itself. The moon disintegrated from the earth, now serves as its reflection, similarly reflecting our inherent nature, connecting us through the five elements from our breath to the vast universe.


In Indian Astrology, the fourth moon is traditionally considered inauspicious. However, I challenge this notion, elevating the fourth moon as the height of the moon’s existence. This deliberate contradiction serves a crucial purpose: it challenges the ingrained human tendency to categorize experiences into “good or a bad day,” or into absolute dualities.


The journey depicted is one of merging these apparent opposites, breaking down barriers, and opening the soul to a unified understanding. This journey culminates in the profound realization of the oneness of all things in the universe, where contradictions are not problems but integral aspects of a singular, harmonious reality.

EXHIBITIONS
  • ALL
  • CANVAS —
  • ACRYLIC ON CANVAS
  • ARCHIVAL PRINT
  • DRAWING
  • OIL ON CANVAS
  • PAINTING ON WOOD
  • PAPERWORKS —
  • ARCHIVAL PHOTOGRAPHIC WORKS / DRAWINGS
  • ETCHING
  • LITHOGRAPHS
  • PAINTINGS
  • SERIGRAPHS
  • WOODCUT
  • ZINC PLATE INTAGLIO PRINT
  • SCULPTURES —
  • BRONZE
  • GLASS-REINFORCED POLYMER
  • PAINTINGS
  • SANDSTONE
  • TERRACOTTA
  • WOODEN
  • THREADWORKS —
  • CLOTH
  • EMBROIDERY
  • WOODWORKS —
  • ACRYLIC ON WOOD
  • ALL
  • CANVAS —
  • ACRYLIC ON CANVAS
  • ARCHIVAL PRINT
  • DRAWING
  • OIL ON CANVAS
  • PAINTING ON WOOD
  • PAPERWORKS —
  • ARCHIVAL PHOTOGRAPHIC WORKS / DRAWINGS
  • ETCHING
  • LITHOGRAPHS
  • PAINTINGS
  • SERIGRAPHS
  • WOODCUT
  • ZINC PLATE INTAGLIO PRINT
  • SCULPTURES —
  • BRONZE
  • GLASS-REINFORCED POLYMER
  • PAINTINGS
  • SANDSTONE
  • TERRACOTTA
  • WOODEN
  • THREADWORKS —
  • CLOTH
  • EMBROIDERY
  • WOODWORKS —
  • ACRYLIC ON WOOD
  • ALL
  • ART FAIR/ BIENNALES
  • CANVAS
Bodies of Work
  • ALL
  • HERBS OF INHERITANCE
  • KHULA AASMAN
  • MOON MYTHS
  • SAPTA MATRIKA
  • SHAKTI
  • TANTRA
  • THE GOLDEN WOMB SERIES
  • TREE OF LIFE
  • YOGINIS
  • ALL
  • ARTICLES
  • EXHIBITIONS
  • PAINTINGS
  • PERFORMANCES