The story of Kali Yuga

We all love a good story.

And the tale and archetypal imagery of Kali Yuga, the time of darkness, from Hindu cosmology is as relevant to our world now as it was when it was told in 3rd century BCE.

The Four Yugas describe the cycles of the divine, celestial, gods’ and earth’s ages through millennia – the Dark Ages, the Age of Enlightenment, the Golden Age, the Iron Age as we might call them.

And here we are in the Kali Yuga, the modern Dark Ages, as described in my painting.

The Hindu Goddess/Demon/Avatar Kali swings the earth on a pendulum of time in the cyclical progression of the ages, from light to dark. The crows of darkness gather, toxicity floods the earth. We are in the time of a great degree of darkness: an era of moral decline, materialism, confusion, greed, dishonesty and environmental degradation.

Look around at the dissonance in societal structures as we humans struggle with challenges that often obscure deeper truths, and the anxiety and collective trauma this causes.

However, Kali Yuga is not simply an age of despair. The chaos and disintegration that characterise this period also provide fertile ground for reimagining and recreating the paradigms of existence. And art is a beacon of hope.

Some say artists are the canaries in the coal mine, and they are. But, more, they are the miners – and visionaries – with torches lighting the way, creating illuminating pathways through the tunnels, reminding us we can continue to work towards the light with commitment, strength and willingness.

Art activists can question the ‘filter bubbles’ we get into, subvert post-truth politics, envision new possibilities and promote connection between people and communities – in galleries, on the street, in workshops, on social media! Art can resonate deeply, and create shifts in perception and understanding. Art can transform darkness to light.

Art is the highest form of hope

Gerhard Richter, German visual artist