Helen Bramha’s bold strokes speak the language of peace

Bhubaneswar: The brush strokes are bold and bright, the message deep and the venue relevant. Here, we are talking about Helen Bramha and her 25 miniature paintings titled ‘War, Weaving and Peace’, which she is currently showcasing at Paris that had been at the receiving end of terror attacks.

In this series, Helen has depicted the bloodshed and futility of war through Bahanas (vehicles) of Chausathi (64) Yoginis. The bodies of the animals weaved in textiles of Odisha is a continuation of her work on Sambalpuri patterns.

The paintings draw inspiration from the crucial role the 64 Yoginis played in saving the world. The story is somehow lost in the folklore and this 15-day-residential-programme is an effort by Helen to give them due credit.

Legend has it that goddess Durga’s victory over Mahisasura would have remained inconclusive without the Yoginis. The demon was blessed with the boon to multiply and gain strength with every drop of his blood falling on the earth. They stalled that process by consuming his blood once he was struck by the goddess’ ‘Trisul’.

“The contribution of Yoginis finds no mention in mythology. People celebrate the goddess for killing Mahisasura. The Yoginis, however, find no place in the pandals despite the fact that they played an important role in putting an end to the bloody war. Mahisasura’s blood would have given rise to more demons. The Yoginis epitomize peace and are relevant in present day context,” she said.

As for the textile pattern, Helen experimented with it in 2000 with ‘Mahavidya’, which revolved around the identity of women. Using them as icons, she reflected on womanhood in the present context. The next series ‘Chausathi Yoginis’ was in abstract form, where she used earth colours on ‘Salu’ cloths. “I have always identified women with power. She is often neglected by her own despite all the sacrifices she makes. She is never appreciated for slogging from morning till night. As a result, she suffers from identity crisis,” Helen said.

The recent series is an extension of it, she added.

The headless animals sprouting blood in her paintings, speak of the incarnations that brought an end to the war. And that’s her message to world.