Rithika Merchant b. 1986
Zoomorph II, 2024
Gouache, watercolour and ink on paper
(HSN Code: 970110)
(HSN Code: 970110)
38.5 x 29.5 inches
Copyright Rithika Merchant, 2024
Rithika Merchant's Zoomorph II draws upon Zoomorphic Architecture, which uses animal forms as the basis for design and inspiration. The structures are based on animal shapes and the animal imagery...
Rithika Merchant's Zoomorph II draws upon Zoomorphic Architecture, which uses animal forms as the basis for design and inspiration. The structures are based on animal shapes and the animal imagery provides deeper meaning. In this painting, one can notice snakes which are symbols of the birth/death/rebirth cycle, representing the shedding of old skin to start anew. The circles and spirals in the painting symbolise eternity, with the shape of snakes mirroring a river from which life springs. The work is inspired by Euronyme (or the Greek Gaia) who laid a world egg and then ordered a cosmic snake to protect and encircle it until it hatched.