virodhabhas: the paradox of wholeness

Anchored in Tyeb Mehta’s seminal Diagonal series, Virodhabhas: The Paradox of Wholeness is an interdisciplinary performance that explores the idea that contradiction is not fragmentation, but an essential condition of completeness. Through visual art, , music and dance, the programme reflects upon opposing states—tension and harmony, logic and paradox, devotion and rebellion, longing and fulfilment—as forces that together constitute the human experience. The evening begins with an illustrated presentation on Tyeb Mehta’s Diagonal paintings by Roobina Karode, Director and Chief Curator of the Kiran Nadar Museum of Art (KNMA). Her presentation examines Mehta’s powerful visual language, particularly the diagonal as a metaphor for rupture, conflict and dynamic equilibrium.The evening concludes with a Kathak abhinaya recital by Dr Navina Jaffa , Kathak dancer, historian, and expert in sustainability and culture — directed by Dr Maya Kulkarni. Drawing upon a poem by the medieval Maithili poet Vidyapati, the performance explores emotional and spiritual contrasts through nuanced gesture and expression. It evokes the simultaneous presence of separation and union, desire and restraint, devotion and human vulnerability. Virodhabhas: The Paradox of Wholeness invites audiences to encounter contradiction not as discord, but as a generative and profound principle underlying artistic expression, philosophical inquiry and lived experience.Light refreshments and soft beverages will be served following the programme. Artist BioDr. Navina Jaffa is an award-winning Kathak soloist and cultural historian, recipient of the Sanatan Sanskriti Award (2024). Trained under Pandit Birju Maharaj and mentored by Kapila Vatsyayan, she works closely with Dr. Maya Kulkarni to extend Kathak’s expressive language in dialogue with the visual arts. Her practice reimagines the solo form through a deeply layered engagement with abhinaya, reworking its techniques to expand narrative and aesthetic possibilities.For over four decades, her pioneering “Performing Heritage” approach has used dance to illuminate the artistic and historical layers of Indian monuments and cultural landscapes. A Fulbright Scholar with a Ph.D. in cultural heritage, she continues to connect performance with heritage interpretation and sustainability.