THE TANTRIC BODY EXHIBITION

O CORPO TANTRICO - THE TANTRIC BODY - KRISTOF DEGRAUWE

The original idea to make this series was to translate the yogic concept ‘the 10 bodies’ into photographs. In Kundalini yoga we talk of the physical body a lot, about the mind (positive, negative and neutral)… but also of several energetic bodies (aura, arcline, pranic, radiant, subtil body and the soul).

To be able to express this more refined entities Kristof Degrauwe used images of galaxies gathered and distributed by NASA. They bring along the universal quality of each “body” and put them into perspective of human existence on this planet as such.

Everyone contemplating these photos will recognize a part of herself into these representations of the different layers of consciousness and energetic presence. We all have access to more awareness but often don’t bother than about our physical body.

Bodies pictured by Kristof Degrauwe may become shining like stars and reflect light and consciousness.

In extension of this 10 photos the photographer decided to stretch the series a little further and introduced the Shamanic Body picturing AlvaroTukano during a ceremony (Brasilia). The Shamanic Body incorporates all the 10 bodies. Also the Tantric Body has the capacity of integrating all chakras and all subtle bodies. Furthermore came the idea of picturing the universal cycle of Birth and Death (Birth of a Star / Blackstar) to round up with a romantic photo of the Subconscious Mind.

Art history references are glimpsing through the work of Kristof Degrauwe. The Caravaggio like photo of the boy asleep (Subconscious Mind), the Pierre & Gilles “picturalism” (Birth of a Star), the “Uomo Universalis” of Leonardo da Vinci, the skull … to name just a few.

Important element of this internet era is the accessibility to images that were unseen not so long ago. Nasa brings to us visions of the most incredible star clusters and galaxies through the relentless efforts of astronomers working with the Hubble telescope. These revelations should brings us to absolute admiration… but because we can hardly imagine the vastness and endlessness of the space around us, we mostly look at them as lovely color combinations, nothing real.

The same reflection about the sound track of the exhibition (Symphonies of the Planets by NASA). It gives us 30 minutes of the sound that lingers in space around every planet of our solar system. So there is music in space. Sound Is Creation.

BRASILIA, MAY 2016