Page 41 - Studio International - December 1971

manuscripts of which there are many in the immediately becomes a vital work of reference. approach to tantra art that a link may be
exhibition could be called 'yoga' art. However, Surely, though, the insistence of the catalogue's established between all forms of art with an
nearly all bear a certain stamp or aura which we introduction upon the cultist aspect of tantra is inward direction that speak of man's relation to
immediately recognize as tantric; and the a mistake ? Tantra asana is one of the visually the universe. q
reason we are able to do this is due entirely to richest and most beautiful sources of tantric
the vision of one man, Ajit Mookerjee, from imagery but the philosophy of the male/female
whose private collection about two-thirds of principle goes far beyond the sexual frame of
the exhibits have been borrowed. Ajit reference. In advaita vedanta it has a much
Mookerjee is already well known in India for more abstract significance and the practical
his pioneer work in the classification and application of sexual asana as a means of union
identification of Indian folk and primitive art with the absolute has no serious philosophical
and it is during the pursuit of these studies that basis. If the idea of tantra art can be freed from
he came to formulate the concept of tantra art, its cultist associations, it can emerge as the key
which had hitherto existed as unrelated to an art of the future that is not pursued for its
art-forms in various parts of India. His name own sake, but forms part of a philosophical
is now well known in Western countries as the system of thought.
author of two art books, 'Tantra Art' (Ravi All this is conjecture, but it is exciting to
Kumar 1967) and 'Tantra Asana' (Ravi Kumar hear that a Tantra Museum is to be built on a
1971), and it is the wide circulation and site on the outskirts of New Delhi over the next
enormous interest which the first of these books few years which will collect and exhibit both
created which made the world aware of an art Indian tantric forms and forms from other
form which, although it had existed for cultures ancient and contemporary, with Ajit
centuries, had so far eluded classification. What Mookerjee's collection as a basis. It is by this
caused this enormous interest, both in the books 7 8
and the Hayward exhibition, is the fact that
tantra art fulfills a function for Western man
which his own contemporary art has lost sight
of. Here is an art form which partakes of the
potential of human energy and its relation to the
universe. It is this inward direction of tantra
art that people instinctively recognize and
identify with, although after experiencing an
initial attraction they can easily be put off by
what seems to be an impenetrable jungle of
symbols and myths demanding a knowledge so
specialized as to be beyond reach. But many of
these symbols have an abstract significance
which is immediately recognizable. An example
of this is catalogue no. 511, which illustrates in a
series of gouaches of incredibly subtle
coloration the processes of projective
evolution of the universe; the balance between Cakra Asana
abstraction and description is so perfectly held Nepal, eighteenth century
on the aesthetic plane that the subject matter Collection: Ajit Mookerjee
of expansion is self-evident.
2 The Principle of Fire
Despite the organizers' inspired concept of Rajasthan, eighteenth century
presenting the exhibition as a journey without Gouache on paper 4 x 5 in.
Collection: Ajit Mookerjee
beginning or end and the sensitive groupings of
the various classifications of objects and 3 Diagram of the world Jambudripa with
paintings, one is nevertheless conscious of a its seven streams of water. Mount Meon at
certain visual indigestion after concentrated the centre
Rajasthan, eighteenth century
viewing. This is perhaps due to the inclusion Collection: Ajit Mookerjee
of the sections of Buddhist tantra and several
series of Tibetan thanjkas, some of which are 4 Jina as the released spirit
Rajasthan, eighteenth century
of indifferent quality. Tibetan Buddhist Collection: Ajit Mookerjee
imagery has a very different visual aura which
conjures up a totally different world of the 5 Kundalini coiled about a Lingam
Banaras, contemporary
imagination from its Hindu counterparts; it Collection: Ajit Mookerjee
cries out for a setting of its own and should in
all fairness be the subject of a separate 6, 7 Leaves from a manuscript illustrating
the processes of projective-evolution of the
exhibition. Universe
A word must be said about the catalogue, Western India, c. 1700
which has been written by Philip Rawson and Gouache on paper, each 26o X 120 mm
Collection: Ajit Mookerjee
admirably designed by Hugh Shaw. Every
item in the exhibition has been illustrated and 8 The Goddess as Void with projection-
informatively captioned; it is therefore a space for image
compendium of tantric imagery in itself, and Andhra, nineteenth century
Collection: Ajit Mookerjee
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