An exhibition showcasing Smruthi Gargi Eswar’s artworks to commemorate 20 years of Hyderabad’s Shrishti Art Gallery is titled Devi is in The Detail. The title could not have been more apt; the digital artworks have the potential to make visitors take a fresh look at the way a goddess or Devi is often portrayed.
The Bengaluru-based artist explains how women are socially conditioned and come under stress to be “Devi-like”, but what makes the goddesses in her art relatable is a more fluid representation, similar to normal women. This fluid depiction does not dilute the idea of a goddess; instead, it brings to the fore a lesser-explored facet.
Instead of an image of goddess Saraswathy seated with her veena and blessing her devotees, as seen on calendars and framed images in puja rooms, we see her in an informal mode, as though she is enjoying some time off in the forest.
