V3.0 Bhūmī-Devī’s Umbilical Cord: A CONCLUSION

In Bhūmī-Devī’s Umbilical Cord, I took an experimental approach to exploring the narrative of Shiva's devotees whereby they believe their Shiva Jattas enable an exchange of energy between the sun and themselves. 

Audience engagement was a crucial aspect to consider during the planning of the installation. I decided that the most effective way to present the sculpture would be to have it hanging high up from the ceiling accompanied by a spotlight, giving it a heavenly glow. This was partly informed by the Hindu view that the higher up physically you are, the closer you can get to enlightenment hence pilgrimages are usually to the great mountains of Asia. Initially, I wanted the end of the Jatta to be around eye-level to ensure that the piece didn't get completely missed but ultimately, the placement enabled viewers to interact with the work. Being at head height allowed viewers to physically connect to the piece and complete the narrative of sun>Jatta>person. To ensure viewers were able to receive this intended meaning I made sure to use the Artist Statement to my full advantage and I think I successfully explained a very in-depth topic in a concise manner. However of course the intended meaning is not the only valid one and I think the outcome is strong enough for viewers to collect their own thoughts from regardless of my intentions.

Another practical aspect that needed constant reconsideration was how to install the sun. Original plans right up until mid-way through installation, called for a light, but this posed many problems because of fire risk, weight, and aesthetic qualities. Whilst trying to matt the wig, I attempted to melt the hairs together but quickly discovered that it was extremely flammable which would not bode well attached to a source of heat. And visually, I was really struggling to find a light that looked anything like the sun that was also LED. Ideally, I wanted just a large round exposed bulb but that would have involved rewiring and a lot of technical skills that I did not have the time for this late in the process. I then thought of loading a fishbowl with battery operated fairy lights but this would have looked very messy. However, when looking for giant fishbowls, I discovered giant Christmas baubles. This was a perfect compromise that is arguably a long shot better than light ever could have been. The bauble was available in gold and many different finishes which gave me more authority of what exactly I wanted this piece to look like, and it being designed for hanging from wires in shop window displays, it was very manageable and lightweight to suspend. Also, without the fire risk I was now able to attach the Jatta directly to the sun without having to pretend that they were attached with invisible wires.

Overall, I think I researched a wide range of artists and broader topics within Hinduism. The whole concept of sculpture was new to me and knowing that it would be exhibited made it a very ambitious choice. The very initial ideas were chaotic, but this soon formed a solid idea and the final few days resulted in major but necessary tweaks which ultimately drastically benefitted the final outcome.