The Indian Saint Project: Bridging Academia, Art, and Spirituality
Publication information:
Abstract
The Indian Saint Project explores the lives and teachings of 19th- and early 20th-century Indian saints, including Ramakrishna, Anandamayi Ma, and Mahatma Gandhi, through the arts. Blending spiritual exploration, artistic practice, and academic research, the project celebrates India’s revered avatars, spiritual gurus, and social reformers. Using digital painting inspired by Indian bazaar art, it creates a visual vocabulary of the saints’ philosophies and legacy. Rather than aiming for “authentic” portrayals, the project focuses on expressing the transformative experiences of its creators, reflecting on their journey while walking in the footsteps of these saints and reinterpreting their relevance for modern audiences.
Presenter Biographies
Michal Erlich and Khinvraj Jangid are an Israeli-Indian couple residing in Delhi with their two daughters. Michal, with a PhD in India Studies, serves as the Associate Director of the Jindal India Institute. Khinvraj, holding a PhD in Israel Studies, is the Director of the Jindal Center for Israel Studies. Michal’s research focuses on contemporary guru-bhakti communities and vernacular notions of well-being in India, whereas Khinvraj’s research has concentrated on political leadership within Israel-India relations. Both scholars have contributed to leading international journals, presented their research at esteemed universities, and received numerous scholarships and awards. This academic and personal synergy is intricately woven into the fabric of their identity, evident in their intellectual endeavors and daily lives as a family.
Noy Haimovitz and Tamir Erlich are a distinguished Israeli artistic duo renowned for their innovative installations that seamlessly integrate light, sound, and sculpture. Their work adopts a neo-mythic approach, reinterpreting ancient myths to craft contemporary narratives addressing modern issues. Their exhibitions reflect the everyday struggle between competing narratives that shape our perceptions. The disposition of their work is intense, over-referenced, and includes laborious craftsmanship and site-and-time-specific research. Their practice extends to the entrepreneurship of social-artistic projects, led-by-artist exhibitions, academic lectures, workshops, and collegial curation. Noy and Tamir showcased their work in leading galleries and museums in Israel and contemporary art venues around the world, including the Künstlerhaus Bethanien in Berlin, and have won various awards and grants the Royal Society of Sculpture's Gilbert Bais Award, the Alleyne Cooper Award, support for residencies from ARTIS, and more.