Comics and Hindu Art Samantha Nolte

Virginia Commonwealth University

Richmond, VA

Shiva Nataraja, Chola Pd. c. 970, South India

Objectives:

1.Foundational Knowledge

2.Learning Model

Disclaimer:

• Infinite number of projects

• Learn with your students!

Examples of Misrepresentations by the West

Unfortunately, Hindu art has a long history of being misunderstood, misrepresented, and scorned by Western cultures.

Ganesha, Chola Pd. 12th Century India

Kali, Calendar Print 20th Century, India

Hindu Art has a long and rich history embedded in the stories and myths of the Hindu religion.

Hinduism Basics

•No major founder.•Multiple texts•Is actually more monotheistic than polytheistic (nir-guna and sa-guna)•Believes in reincarnation—cycle of life and death•Practice is highly individual•3 major “sects” worship Siva (Shiva), Vishnu, and the Goddess.

Image of Kali Statue in worshipKali-the Goddess

Looking at Hindu Art: Divine Embodied

Looking at Hindu Art: Iconography

Ganesha

As art educators it is our responsibility to fight these misrepresentations and work to help our students understand other cultures’ art forms. In the case of Hindu art, American comic books and the Hindu comic book series Amar Chitra Katha can be used as didactic modalities to teach about Hindu art without misrepresenting it.

Shiva Nataraja, Chola Pd. c. 970, South India

Why Comic Books?

Comic books are their own art form. They uniquely synthesize words and images. Viewers/readers develop three specific skills that allow them to “read” the art and story of a comic book. These skills can help a viewer to “read” a work of art from India.

These skills are:

Hari-Hara, late 10th cent. AD, India

Skill 1. Identifying SubtextA comic book reader does not rely on just the text to understand the tone, mood, and message in a story.

The phrase “Oh, God…” could be spoken with a variety of meanings. It is the figure’s body language that communicates her intended meaning to us.

In Hindu art, the attributes of an iconographic image can be read for both their immediate textual meaning as it relates to the image and their underlying context. For example, the wheel is an attribute Vishnu, but it also connotes the cycle of life and death.

Shiva’s Family (Shiva and Parvati), about 1000 AD, India

Skill 2. Reading the Whole ImageIn comic books multiple images are presented simultaneously, requiring the reader to interpret not only each individual image, but the page as a whole. Scanning the entire page communicates a sense of place, time and motion, but requires sensitivity to detail.

In Hindu art, many images are subsidiary to the main iconic image. Paying attention to them can help a viewer understand who is being presented and in what context.

Other deities, and the main deities’ vahanas (their animal “sidekicks”), and other figures from mythology can be present, thus cluing the viewer into which deity is presented and in what context.

Skill 3. Origins of the CharactersAmerican comic book superheroes are an amalgamation of Greek mythology, Judeo-Christians tradition, and Western folklore. Consequently, American comic book superheroes require the viewer to have a contextual understanding of myth, legend and folklore that Hindu art requires of its viewers. This parallel process creates a cognitive bridge between the two cultures that allows students to approach Hindu art from a more authentic mindset.

Teachers can use a3 Step Iconographic/Iconology Inquiry

approach as a model for student lessons.

1. Pre-Iconographic (Icon)

2. Iconographic

3. Iconology

Shiva and Umasahitamurt, Chola Pd. 10th century, India

Shiva’s Family (Shiva and Parvati), about 1000 AD, India

1. Pre-Iconographic

Build a foundational knowledge of where the iconographic forms come from. Rather than having students investigate Sanskrit texts—the Hindu comic book series Amar Chitra Katha authentically presents the Hindu myths of the deities.

Iconography•Red cape

•Blue suit

•Red S

•Super strong

•Black hair

•Can fly

2. Iconographic

Vishnu•Wheel•Mace•Lotus•Conch•Crown•Is Blue•Gold color•Sun behind

Vishnu and Attendants, Solanki c. 1026 AD, India

2. Iconographic continued

3. Iconology: discuss cultural interpretations--students seek a cultural understanding of both their own culture and Hindu culture.

Some possibilities:

• A mythological comparison of Superman and Christ. • The meaning of “truth, justice, and the American way.”

• Discuss the theme of spider man— “with great power comes great responsibility.”

• After building an understanding of the parallels between superheroes and “super-deities” students can begin an authentic exploration of themes in Hindu culture and mythology—including Karma, life-cylces, the individuality of Hindu worship, the role of individual objects of worship (like the Ganesha above right), and discussions about the significance/meaning of the Spiderman as Ganesha (lower right). (These are only some examples, many other possibilities exist.)

Knowledge and Contextual Understanding

Durga Kills the Demon Mahisa, c. 1660, India

The Goddess Durga Slaying the Vuggalo Demon, c. late 8th century, India