The universe, imagined through the human body.
In Jain cosmology, Lokapurusha gives physical form to an otherwise abstract idea: the structure of the universe itself.
The human figure becomes a map. Different regions of the body correspond to different realms of existence, while the circular diagrams placed across the figure represent aspects of Jain cosmology, sacred geography and spiritual order.
Around the central form, inscriptions, smaller sacred figures and diagrammatic elements expand the work beyond portraiture. This is not an image of a deity in the conventional sense; it is a philosophical diagram — a way of making the vast structure of existence visible and understandable.
What makes the work especially compelling is the way body, map and cosmology become one image.
Hand-painted on cotton.
Limited work, made on order.
For the website title, I’d use:
Lokapurusha — Jain Cosmic Man