BIO
Rasa Manjari is a contemporary painter born in 1971 in India, residing and working in New Zealand. She paints in a meditative state about spiritual subject matter as much as contemporary narratives of hope, love, pain and internal struggles, all of which lie beneath what seems single layered storytelling. Identity and emotional expressions have always been her exploration; displayed in a variety of mediums throughout her artistic career. Since 2017 she overlapped her art practise which is an essential expression to her, with her spiritual journey.
She is inspired by the immaculate presentation of sacred amorous love by poet Vidyapati, and by the pastimes of Radha and Krishna. The stories depicted through a meditative process are those told by spiritual teachers of the Gaudiya Vaishnava tradition. Vidyapati is one such teacher of love who left behind a legacy of transcendent poems, which have been translated over time by many scholars. His identity as a devotee of Radha and Krishna in the form of a Manjari (maidservant) is not known to many. This has been handed down to her by her spiritual master as a seed to understand divine love and to make progress in her spiritual path. She has been through unsettling moments of transformation, exhaustion and the danger of losing her identity as an artist in her quest for balancing her expression of art and her spiritual practise. The poetic works of Vidyapati have given her the platform to safely unfold her own expressions. The artist has withstood inner struggles to hold back her ambitions as an artist, until such a point where her art became a seva (service).
Rasa Manjari has been an artist for several years, and has been known by the name Rewa Walia in the past. Her works are a dialogue on Indian miniature art, particularly depictions of Radha and Krishna which evolved significantly over centuries. She is concerned with the contemporary versions of visuals of Radha and Krishna , and especially with AI and internet influences.
In Gaudiya Vaishnavism, miniature depictions of Radha and Krishna are not inherently considered wrong, but their prevalence and overemphasis in some contexts can be seen as problematic. To enter into the subject of amorous love, one needs proper qualification. All ancient scriptures traditionally begin by defining specific parameters of eligibility for prospective readers. So care must be taken in depicting divine sacred love. Study of ancient literatures under the guidance of spiritually elevated teachers gives one correct authority to be competent and to grasp the real essence or internal significance of Radha and Krishna’s divine love pastimes. However, we live in an age that can contribute to information overload and a constant state of stimulation, making it challenging to find time for focused contemplation. This has seen an overflow of varieties of visuals of Radha and Krishna in recent times leading to a more superficial understanding, and missing the divine aspect of pure love, and the teachings of devotion through service.
Rasa Manjari ( Rewa Walia )
Born in 1971 in Mumbai, India
Resides and works in Christchurch, New Zealand
EDUCATION
Certificate in Applied film making, NZ Film Academy, Auckland 2011 Diploma of Creative Advertising Media Design School, Auckland 2003
Bachelor of Fine Arts Sir J.J Inst. of Applied Arts, Mumbai 1992
PROJECTS
Rewa Gallery: Studio and gallery space for my art projects in Auckland - 2019 - 2020
BIENNALE
Group show: New digital art biennale. A pavilion of The Wrong - 2017
SHOWS/ PERFORMANCES
SOLO: Rewa Gallery, Auckland. “Red” Performance, Installation, Video,
Photography - 2020
SOLO: Rewa Gallery, Auckland. “Transcendental doodles” - 2019
SOLO: Rewa Gallery, Auckland “I can be someone else” - 2019
SOLO (PERFORMANCE): Healing hills art space, India “ I’m not this body” - 2018
SOLO (PERFORMANCE): Healing hills art space, India “Abducted, site specific performance”
- 2018
SOLO: Queenstown lakes district council. “After the earth shook” - 2013
SOLO (PERFORMANCE): "Shiv sangam" A performance on cultural unity, funded by Auckland
council, Creative communities scheme.
GROUP EXHIBITIONS: Pop up Solo show in Henderson, Auckland. "Joker series" - 2009
Indian International Contemporary Art. Parampara, group show , "Joker series" - 2010
The Museum Gallery, Mumbai. 'Mere sapno ka school' (My dream school) Independent
Art Film - 2010
The Small packages group show in Takapuna, Auckland. “Being Kiwi series” - 2011Bharat
Bhawan, Bhopal. 'Mere sapno ka school' ( My dream school ) Independent Art
Film - 2011
Fundraising group show for Warkworth Welsford Hospice in Auckland - 2011
'How diversity works' group show at the ‘Artstation’ in Auckland. “The Mind series”- 2011
Habitat centre, New Delhi, India. Group show - 2013
The State Art Gallery, Hyderabad, India. Group show, “Canvas of India” - 2013
Vienna Showcase at Palais Schönborn, Vienna. Group show - 2014
Fire arts center of Chicago. Group show - 2014
1st Italian Biennale of creativity at Verona, Palaexpo. Group show - 2014
‘The Power of Perception’ by Creative Concept Inc New York. Group show - 2014
‘Global Art Expose’ by Kalanirvana, Hyderabad. Group show - 2016
RESIDENCIES/ ART CAMPS
International Art Residency in Konya, Turkey - 2014
Ostraka International Art residency, Egypt - 2014
3rd Kiar in Bhubaneswar, India - 2014
Press club of Odisha in Bhubaneswar, India - 2013
PUBLISHING
I.C.A Publishing New York - International Contemporary Artists volume six - 2014
I.C.A Publishing New York - International Contemporary Artists volume seven - 2015
Art editor – Online magazine – www.emerzingstars.com