Shaharee Visual art

Women of the 8th Sea: Acrylic on canvas 40,6 x 40,6 cm by Shaharee Vyaas.

The 8th Sea challenges the notion that water can be controlled and manipulated for human purposes. One example is the port of Hamburg, a site steeped in colonial history and exploitation of resources. The idea of The Seven Seas is also questioned, challenging the arbitrary boundaries imposed by humans on a vast and interconnected system. … Continue reading Women of the 8th Sea: Acrylic on canvas 40,6 x 40,6 cm by Shaharee Vyaas.

Shaharee Visual art

The Dark Sides of Religion (part 5/5): Replenishing at the Well of Justification. Acrylic on canvas 45 x 45 cm by Shaharee Vyaas.

In this work I'm focusing on extreme fundamentalists who believe that their religion gives them the right to tell everyone else what they are and are not allowed to do and commands them to kill certain non-believers. Religion is often used as a well of justification for some of the most horrendous and heinous human … Continue reading The Dark Sides of Religion (part 5/5): Replenishing at the Well of Justification. Acrylic on canvas 45 x 45 cm by Shaharee Vyaas.

Shaharee Visual art

The Dark Sides of Religion (part 4/5): Patriarchies. Acrylic on canvas 45 x 45 cm by Shaharee Vyaas.

The religions of the book – Judaism, Christianity and Islam – all have a male God and have scriptures and histories of interpreting those scriptures which are patriarchal. The characteristics of a Patriarchal System are Male Domination, Male Identification, Male Centeredness, and Obsession with Control.Patriarchy examples include hiring practices that discriminate against women, exclusion of … Continue reading The Dark Sides of Religion (part 4/5): Patriarchies. Acrylic on canvas 45 x 45 cm by Shaharee Vyaas.

Shaharee Visual art

The Dark Sides of Religion (part 3/5): Nirvana. Acrylic on canvas 45 x 45 cm by Shaharee Vyaas.

Nirvana in Buddhism is a transcendent state in which there is neither suffering, desire, nor sense of self, and the subject is released from the effects of karma and the cycle of death and rebirth. Gurus talk about the universal mind and about the futility of power, knowledge, and material desires. Looked upon from a … Continue reading The Dark Sides of Religion (part 3/5): Nirvana. Acrylic on canvas 45 x 45 cm by Shaharee Vyaas.

Shaharee Visual art

The Dark Sides of Religion (part 2/5): Brahman’s Social Order. Acrylic on canvas 45 x 45 cm by Shaharee Vyaas.

The evil of India’s caste practice is almost as old as the gods, and is the most noxious and evolved example today of how humans attempt to impose superiority and suffering on others by virtue of their birth. Hindu texts speak of four tiers, or varnas, making up a broader caste pyramid in society. On … Continue reading The Dark Sides of Religion (part 2/5): Brahman’s Social Order. Acrylic on canvas 45 x 45 cm by Shaharee Vyaas.

Shaharee Visual art

The Dark Sides of Religion (part 1/5): Ascetism. Acrylic on canvas 45 x 45 cm by Shaharee Vyaas.

Since religious fundamentalism is on the rise in all segments of our society, I decided to dedicate some of my artistic reflections to the subject that motivates some extreme fundamentalists to believe that their religion gives them the right to tell everyone else what they are and are not allowed to do and commands them … Continue reading The Dark Sides of Religion (part 1/5): Ascetism. Acrylic on canvas 45 x 45 cm by Shaharee Vyaas.

Shaharee Visual art

Reflections. Acrylic on canvas 45 x 45 cm by Shaharee Vyaas (2023)

This canvas is a further elaboration upon an earlier work that is called The Zone. While The Zone was a rather formal investigation into color and line, this work gives a more impressionistic interpretation of the point where conscious and subconscious thinking processes confluence.It is a collection of free associations about the metaphoric, tectonic representation … Continue reading Reflections. Acrylic on canvas 45 x 45 cm by Shaharee Vyaas (2023)

From Lighthouse to Light Buoy. Mixed technics on canvas W 30cm H 40 cm by Shaharee Vyaas (2023)
Shaharee Visual art

From Lighthouse to Light Buoy. Acrylic on canvas W 30cm x H 40 cm by Shaharee Vyaas (2023)

Human history and folklore are riddled by tales of sudden climate changes: the Biblical flood that caused Noah to build his arch and Plato´s tale of the city of Atlantis who disappeared into the sea are among the best-known legends. Noah built an arch filled up with stock he would need to start over again. … Continue reading From Lighthouse to Light Buoy. Acrylic on canvas W 30cm x H 40 cm by Shaharee Vyaas (2023)

Shaharee Visual art

The psycho-historical character of Venice

This canvas (mixed technics on canvas 90 x 90 cm) is a derivate from the psycho-historical map of Venice. The kaleidoscopic perspective allowed me to distillate from the map the intrinsic characteristics of its psycho-historical vibes. Every city has a unique psycho-historical character that reflects its collective memory, culture, and identity. Its architecture, landmarks, streets, … Continue reading The psycho-historical character of Venice

Shaharee Visual art

To woke or not to woke: that’s the question

It is important to acknowledge and confront oppressive systems in society in order to advocate for equality and opportunity. However, it is not productive to engage in overly-vigilant or reactionary behavior, such as calling out perceived instances of cultural appropriation without understanding the context, or tearing down individuals who are seen as oppressors without working … Continue reading To woke or not to woke: that’s the question