Lot 71: Hyperbolic Spiral

BHARTI KHER (B. 1969) Hyperbolic Spiral signed, dated, titled and inscribed 'Bharti Kher 2011 "HYPERBOLIC SPIRAL" Khoj Auction 2014' (on the reverse of frame) bindis on mirror 23½ x 23½ in. (59.7 x 59.7 cm.) Executed in 2011

59.7 x 59.7 cm.

It's more of an idea: that you have another eye, another way of looking, another way of seeing. For me, that is something that hasn't changed at all, it's something that has stayed. (Artist statement) Bharti Kher, born 1969 in London, now lives and works in New Delhi. Her work draws from the artist's experiences in both Eastern and Western cultures. In this piece, Kher appropriates an Indian icon, the bindi, using a readymade to form a pattern. In utilising the bindi, a small circular symbol typically worn by Indian women on their foreheads, Kher's work reflects on class, feminism and the relationship between traditional and contemporary culture. Whether representing the all-seeing third eye of Shiva or acting as an indicator of a woman's marital status, Kher meticulously places hundreds of bindi's into a lively spiral. In doing so, the artist suggests the transgression of the bindi from a significant symbol now universally identified with Indian culture. This elaborate abstract work with it's swirling constellation of vibrant red and grey bindis creates a unique image, offering the viewer a moment of almost spirtual contemplation and meditative stillness. In recent years, Kher has exhibited with several leading museums including the Arken Museum of Modern Art, Denmark; Tel Aviv Museum of Art, Israel; Centre Pompidou, France and at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, Washington D. C., making her one of the most sought after artists, not just from India but on the international arena. Earlier this year Rockbund Art Museum in Shanghai, China presented a major museum solo exhibition of her work.