The 15-minute video installation was inspired by the text from the Athava Veda (63 verses of Prithvi sutra) along with the philosopher Rosie Briadotti’s discussion surrounding posthuman critical thinking for our understanding of the self, society, and the environment. In Vedic philosophy, the Earth symbolizes the feminine principle, a source of nourishment and sustenance. Though she can also be fearsome and devastating by unleashing earthquakes, floods and wildfires when her resources are exploited. This duality reminds us of our interconnectedness urging more respectful relationship with our environment (Chapple, C. 2011).
The ‘Hymns of Aranyani’ consist of a non-liner form of storytelling inspired from the mythology story of Aranyani who is the Goddess of the forest. The story highlights the effects of destructive anthropocentric mindset and urges to adopt a posthuman approach and take responsibility for our actions. The characters in this story were inspired from real life stories of women working for the preservation of our planet. The story was written and narrated by me which added a new dimension to my creative practice.