Bharti Kher

bindis and the indian artist bharti kher

'the XI hour', 2009

the term bindi is derived from bindu, the sanskrit word for a dot or a point,
and also carries the meaning of the numeral zero. the bindi in india is traditionally
a mark of pigment applied to the forehead and is associated with the hindu symbol
of the third eye. when worn by women in the customary color of red, it is
a symbol of marriage. in recent times it has become a decorative item, worn
by unmarried girls and women of other religions as well.
today's bindis are commercially manufactured and have been transformed
into stick-on vinyl, disposable objects and a secular, feminine fashion accessory.
bharti kher uses the bindi as a central motif in her work, transforming
the surfaces of both sculptures and paintings to connect disparate ideas.


'the nemesis of nations', exhibited in 'indian highway' at serpentine gallery,
london, 2008/2009, bindis on fiberglass


detail of bindis in 'the nemesis of nations'

kher uses the ready-made bindi as a central motif of her practice.
this tiny decoration is used as a means of transforming objects and surfaces.
her use of the bindi brings to her art a range of meanings and connotations
across historical and contemporary periods.
she is known for her menagerie of resin-cast animals, which are covered
with the bindi, and she also uses the bindi to make large, wall-based panels.
these sensual abstract surfaces may be described as swirls of contrasting
colored dots and shapes. when not working with the bindi, kher’s practice
encompasses digital photography and sculptural works that continue to explore
her interest in kitsch and popular consumer culture.
in kher’s work, the bindi transcends its mass-produced diminutiveness becomes
a powerful stylistic and symbolic device, creating visual richness and allowing
a multiplicity of meanings.


'I've seen an elephant fly', 2002
life-size of a baby elephant, fiberglass and bindis


detail of bindis in 'I've seen an elephant fly'


view of the exhibition 'an absence of assignable cause'
in 2007 at jack shainman gallery, new york
www.jackshainman.com

right: 'the skin speaks a language not its own', 2006
life size of an elephant, fiberglass and bindis


the making of 'the skin speaks a language not its own'
bharti kher's studio view,
photo © anup sood


'an absence of assignable cause', 2007


detail of bindis in 'an absence of assignable cause'


the making of the 'an absence of assignable cause' sculpture


view of the exhibition 'chalo! india:
a new era of indian art' at the mori art museum in tokyo, 2008/2009

bharti kher was born in 1969 in london and was educated in painting
and design at newcastle and middlesex polytechnics.
since 1993, she lives and works in new delhi, india.