Mathematics meets myth in Coimbatore-based artist Arvind Sundar’s project, ‘COSMOS’

Arvind Sundar’s latest body of work, COSMOS, exhibited at Anupa Mehta Contemporary Art in Colaba, may seem like a complex and formative dance. But beneath the geometric exterior lies a deep philosophical study of infinity, mythology, and the unpredictability of life itself. COSMOSrunning from September 12 to October 11, marks a significant departure for Arvind as he moves from painting to three-dimensional forms influenced by the landscape and mythology of Hampi. This shift lies not only in the evolution of art but in a fundamental exploration of what it means to find harmony in a chaotic world.

For Arvind, this journey into geometry and myth began long before he officially practiced art. “My grandfather was a malaria inspector,” he recalls. “He sketched everything – mosquito larvae, houses, everything – because he didn’t have a camera. He retired, but he would sit with me and draw. It was the first time I met with a picture. The early foundation in this art took mathematical precision through the passion of childhood other: origami. “Origami is pure mathematics. You can fold the paper in two ways, but the combinations are endless.

This fascination with infinite possibilities finds expression COSMOS. The pieces on display combine precise mathematical systems with mythological references, and Arvind’s recent work at the Hampi Art Lab has played an important role in shaping this collection. “Get where you see infinity in all directions,” he said. “Stones, the horizon – they are infinite. The landscape, combined with the mythology of the place, led me to think more about the universe and the endlessness.

Nature of Landscapes by Arvind Sundar | Photo Credit: Special Arrangements

Hampi, of course, is not just a landscape but a site of ancient ruins, temples, and mythological significance. “Many scenes from Ramayana are narrated there,” he said. This mixture of myth and geometry is evident in his work, Nature of Landscapes. In this installation, Arvind placed stones sourced from Hampi together with tiles shaped like the Einstein Shape, a shape that can go around an infinite plane without repeating a pattern. “The Svayambu Linga at the Virupaksha Temple is a naturally formed idol, and I am fascinated by the way humans surround the stone,” he says, “It is the interplay between discovery, belief, and infinity that I am interested in.”

While geometry gives structure, unpredictability plays a key role in Arvind’s work as well, perhaps most notably in Kattam, a piece inspired by the traditional South Indian game of dice, Dayakattai. “At the Virupaksha Temple, I saw a box on the floor where people used to play dice,” he said. “It calls me a place of certainty, confidence, but it is there, playing a game of chance. Even in a place related to order, unpredictability is part of life. This idea resonates throughout COSMOSwhere chance and symmetry coexist, echoing both mythological stories and modern scientific concepts.

Arvind’s time studying Renaissance masters in Italy further sharpened his interest in mathematics and art. He remembers being struck by artists like Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo using mathematical principles like the Golden Ratio in their work. “The pursuit of perfection is mathematical in nature,” he said, “Before I was in Italy, my work was geometric but not necessarily mathematical. The experience pushed me to explore these ideas further.

Kattam by Arvind Sundar | Photo Credit: Special Arrangements

But Arvind cautions that understanding the mathematical underpinnings of his work is not essential for the audience to appreciate it. “The Great Pyramid was built with advanced mathematics, but people appreciate the beauty without knowing the math,” he said. “The beauty of my work is that it can stand on its own. Mathematics is everywhere, but it doesn’t need to be obvious.

The title of the exhibition, COSMOSreflects Sundar’s central theme: the quest to understand the universe and our place within it. Infinity has always attracted human attention, whether through religion, mythology, or science. This show, it seems, is Arvind’s way of contributing to his ongoing quest. For him, the unpredictability inherent in the universe is perhaps the most profound lesson. When describing the exhibit, he quoted a line from Stephen Hawking: “God is playing dice with the universe.”

COSMOS till October 11 at Anupa Mehta Contemporary Art, Mumbai. For more information, contact info@anupamehtaarts.com