Landscape(s)
This work is created as a result of Soi’s immersions in Srinagar within the karkhana/studio of the master craftsman Fayaz Jan. Spending time in Srinagar made Soi curious as to its rich, 2000-year-old history: Kashmir had become an important centre of Buddhism during the rule of Ashoka (304–232 BCE). The 4th Buddhist Council was held there in 72 CE under the patronage of Kushan king Kanishka. The traces of Buddhist influence have, however, all but disappeared from the region. The knowledge that Kashmir had a rich Buddhist history made Soi curious about Buddhist iconography, and he has returned often to the Indian Museum in his hometown Kolkata to peruse the monumental remains of the Bharhut Stupa housed in a gallery on the ground floor, as well as a room dedicated to Gandhara sculpture.
The floral detail on the left is taken from a detail of a Jataka relief on the Bharhut Stupa. Its shape forms an outline filled in with golden motifs by the hands of craftsmen, over which he has painted back the lines of the Jataka detail. The bark of an oak tree is painted by Soi using rough brushstrokes to create texture within the composition: it is located in Amsterdam, where Soi lives and works. The large floating disc filled in with decorative motifs by craftsmen is a moon, stitching these different landscapes together. These shapes are gleaned from the traditional Khatambandhi-patterned ceilings ubiquitous in Kashmiri architecture.
The understanding of landscapes as grounds, or soils, which provides nutrition to Soi’s perception of art and life, is gleaned through conversations with the Palestinian educationist Munir Fasheh.
