
SEEMA KOHLI
Seema Kohli’s work embodies a seamless blend of spiritual depth and contemporary exploration, articulated through a diverse range of media including painting, sculpture, installation, film, and performance. Her creative practice is deeply rooted in the celebration of feminine energy and mythological narratives, weaving together ancient symbolism with a modern sensibility. This fusion produces a visual language that invites reflection on time, consciousness, and the cyclical nature of existence.
Her artistic approach is characterized by a thoughtful interplay between tradition and innovation. Kohli’s commitment to exploring the divine feminine principle, Shakti, resonates across her projects, infusing them with layered meanings and symbolic richness. This thematic focus extends beyond mere representation; her works evoke meditative spaces where viewers can engage with ideas of empowerment, transformation, and interconnectedness.
Kohli gained international recognition with her short film Swayamsiddha: Myth, Mind, and Movement, which earned the Gold Medal at the 2009 Florence Biennale. Since then, her art has been presented on diverse prestigious platforms such as the Bihar Museum Biennale (2021), TEDx, the Jaipur Literature Festival, and the National Gallery of Modern Art. Her intellectual engagement with art is further demonstrated through lectures at globally renowned institutions including Harvard University, University of California Davis, Chico, and UConn, highlighting her role as a thinker and educator as well as an artist.
Among her notable works is the monumental installation at the 2016 Kala Ghoda Arts Festival, where she assembled 1,000 colored cutting chai glasses with their holders, a poetic homage to daily ritual, community, and shared cultural memory. This project exemplifies her ability to elevate everyday objects into profound symbols of cultural continuity and collective experience. Her 2019 solo exhibition at The Museum of Sacred Art (MOSA) in Belgium further showcased her capacity to bridge sacred traditions and contemporary art, reinforcing her global reach and relevance. Seema Kohli’s oeuvre traverses multiple disciplines and mediums while maintaining a coherent philosophical core. Her work continues to inspire audiences worldwide, engaging with themes of mythology, spirituality, and feminine power in ways that are both deeply personal and universally resonant. Held in prominent private and public collections, her art affirms her place as a leading figure in contemporary Indian art, creating a dialogue between heritage and modernity with grace and profound insight.