METANOIA

Metanoia

‘beyond mind, to the soul'

Metanoia is a reference to the rebuilding or healing of a human being’s personality, resulting in growth in a new direction. . It is the process of fundamental change in one’s way of life which is a by product of spiritual love.

The word metanoia can also be considered as an artist's act of creating, as the artwork grows stroke by stroke under the influence of varied imaginations and experiences. While working on this collection I could feel a new understanding of this world and reciprocally a new understanding of myself. To heal, love is the only tool, which unlocks new oceans of wonder and emotions. This sometimes tangible and sometimes intangible emotion is portrayed as spiritual love in my paintings. The figures in the paintings reflect t a complete state of metanoia and the layer upon layer of paint are the symbol of change leading to a new feeling, a new relation and a new understanding, freed from the material and practical constraints of a complex world.

I seek to create paintings which are a communication of my most honest self to others. My journey as a human being, and the process of creating, fuse together, organically and intuitively, through brushstrokes, marks and movement of colour. They are an expression of the moulding of experiences, observation, and introspection of the layers of life, because these things are constantly evolving as time moves forward.

I believe that art is not only meant to look nice. It needs to transfuse an artist’s purest thoughts to the spectator’s intuitive experience.

I have always favoured painting faces and figures because I'm intrigued by the characteristics of the human expressions. I believe that the human form carries a strong source of emotion and that is exactly the quality want in my artworks. I want viewers to be suffused with bliss. The happiest moment for me is when I catch someone smiling at my painting.

As for my artistic style, I paint my subject against an intensely coloured and decorated surface. This allows my artworks to take on a psychedelic character. Since I choose to paint people as my subjects, I also explore themes that surround human nature, society and popular culture.

My interest in art is to represent it as a global form of communication. Art educates visually by moving you, pleasing you, and ultimately inspiring you. It has huge effect on one's emotions, more than can be achieved by words or action. An object that carries so much meaning and can move a person emotionally is mystical to me. I intend to spark magic through my art by spreading the hue of my thoughts and ideas through the figures and colours which give a new life to my art.

Mohan Singh believes that art is not only meant to look nice, but the real purpose of art is to arouse feelings within the spectator. A lecturer in art, he is constantly surrounded by young people and hence he uses the form of the urban Indian youth in his work. His close proximity to the young students helps him to better observe and honestly portray the emotions of a young world. The playfulness of the characters dressed in western clothing is juxtaposed with traditional Indian elements like parrots, symbolising love, the flute, symbolic of Krishna, and the lotus flower, symbolising spirituality. The artist entices the viewer as he dramatically expresses the change in Indian society brought on by urbanization. While the frontal figures and detailed study of the human form is rooted in reality, the sharp contrasts, extensive use of texture as decoration, and bright colours, give his work a fantasy like appearance. Contrast and collaboration are the twin assets that are the principal advocates of his art. Through the sheer vibrancy of the images the artist creates fascinating imagery of youth and yet, the simplicity of depiction keeps the narrative tied to reality. The underlying emotion in this collection is the change brought on by healing and love. Mohan Singh’s artworks reach out to the viewer, touching their hearts with the spirit they embody, communicating in a universal visual language.