Reincarnate (we meet here in the afterlife)

2020 was a death and resurrection, but our worlds have ended so many times (and begun again and again). Our myths and monuments are testament to the everliving- bodies that turn into gardens, civilizations that live beneath the shifting sands of empires, lovers tombs overgrown with ivy, flood myths and end of the world stories. Every incarnation is meant to serve a cosmic and not individual purpose. The purpose of an incarnation is said to be reestablishment of dharma, righteousness, destruction of evil and protection of the good and so Krishna says in the Gita,  

“Sambhavami Yuge Yuge” 

I will appear again and again (and again and again) to help humanity redeem itself.”

In her latest body of work artist Shilo Shiv Suleman believes we are not just reincarnating souls,  but reincarnating stories.Perhaps the story of an asura returns as a virus that sweeps across the world. Perhaps the story of Laila and Majnu re-incarnates through text messages and missed calls.Perhaps in this lifetime, the lovers do not perish but reunite after the War. 

(and each time this  story lives it hopes to redeem itself and all of humanity)

As we meet (here) in the afterlife, what fulfillment will our reincarnating stories find?

Art Musings,
Mumbai 2021