‘In The Garden’ brings together a new body of work by Sumakshi Singh that continues an exploration of ideas situated in the way we experience reality and consciousness in their varied relations within both the impalpable and observable worlds. Singh creates immersive mixed media installations using embroidered fabric and stop motion animation, layered lace drawings and paintings as possible axiomatic 'portals' that allow us to understand our physical body and its psychological and existential interdependence on cognitive limitations. In particular Singh focuses on the Garden as one such gateway. The garden through history, mythology, pietism and philosophy has given us ways to understand our own inner literal and metaphysical truths. Singh uses the many forms of the Garden, within the space of art, as a means of discovery for herself and her viewers.
In Light Threads, three large panels in silk have embroidered in them this garden. Singh uses stop motion animation as a means to access the metaphorical ‘flickering’ of light. This flicker, a concept rooted in the work of physicist Nassim Haramein, and his core ideology around phenomenon, is essential to the work. The layering of transient light across the fixed form of the thread re-iterates his theory – which is that all matter appears in its solidity by way of vibration and spin.
This aesthetic and conceptual use of the layer is seen in smaller framed embroidery work. Patterns of leaves and flowers are woven in like traces, incomplete and yet potent, on varied tones of delicate white fabric. A couple of them are stretched taut, while others flow lucidly, all placed one behind the other, so that the forms coalesce depending on where you stand to view them.
The density of form in Light Threads that comes from its conceptual underpinning belies the delicateness of embroidered silk while re-iterating that very aspect in this body of monochromatic lace work. From a life-size tree to fragile specimens of flora, Singh has created a vast lexicon with the acumen of a scientist and the reckless abandonment of an artist
A suit of paintings in mixed media lends to the conversation. Displayed alongside the bursts and blooms of the animated fabric based works, the paintings function as studies or memories to the larger immersive installations.
