Kavish Sethi, an emerging visual artist from New Delhi, uses his craft to explore the noticeable yet subtle connections between humanity and the universe. His art is driven by an inquiry into the relationships between mind, matter, time, and metaphysical spaces. Through his distinctive storytelling approach, Sethi creates self-reflective visuals that invite viewers to meditate and ponder upon their own existence.
His ongoing project, HUMAN, serves as the backbone of his artistic practice. It is a deeply personal, long-term exploration of the evolution of human consciousness, divided into five chapters—
The Physical, The Mental, The Psychic, The Spiritual, and Beyond. Each chapter examines a layer of human existence, moving from tangible physicality to an expansive cosmic understanding of the self.
The series of images shared from Sethi’s work illustrate this layered storytelling. For instance, the stark black-and-white photograph of a curled human form bathed in light (Image 1) reflects The Physical, capturing the raw vulnerability of the body as the starting point for consciousness. Moving deeper into his narrative, his exploration of The Mental is reflected in the interplay of drawings and symbolic text (Image 2), where the relationship between the chakras, elements, and human energy centers reveals the complexity of inner workings.
In The Psychic chapter, Sethi delves into abstract visual representations, as seen in the minimalist image (Image 3) with its repetition of mirrored forms, suggesting the duality and symmetry of the subconscious mind. His focus on The Spiritual finds expression in the symbolic portrayal of the banyan tree (Image 4), which metaphorically represents the inverted nature of the universe and the interconnectedness of all beings. The intertwining of roots and branches mirrors the human experience, bridging the material and the metaphysical worlds.
Inspired by photographers like Prabuddha Dasgupta, Pablo Bartholomew, and Bharat Sikka, Sethi’s work is rooted in an ability to capture both personal and universal truths. His creative process is organic and reflective, allowing him to restart projects when inspiration fades, ensuring that his work resonates with authenticity.
In the coming year, Sethi plans to delve further into metaphysical concepts, questioning the nature of visibility and existence. His curiosity about whether humans are defined by the light they reflect or if there is a deeper, invisible essence drives his art, encouraging his audience to reconsider their own realities.
Kavish Sethi’s work offers a contemplative lens on the infinite dimensions of existence. Through his innovative and thought-provoking visual language, he invites viewers to explore the profound questions of identity, consciousness, and the universe.
