Vipralambha - Love in Separation | Michelle Henry

Vipralambha - Love in separation

2014 - 2015

Many of the paintings in this series are of a single anthurium plant. The titles are from the Indian text Gathasaptasati, (a collection of 700 love poems written in the Prakrit language compiled by Satavahana King Hala c. 50 AD.) reflecting the notion of vipralambha – or love in separation. The others are less specific but follow similar themes.

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Gathasaptasati 1.20: "You've squeezed your eyes shut in false sleep and your limbs bristle with desire when I kiss your cheek.." Oil on Canvas 20" x 20" (50.8 x 50.8cm)	Gathasaptasati 1.29: "Now without him, I remember all the pleasures tasted." Oil on Linen 36" x 48" (91.4 x 121.9cm)
Gathasaptasati 1.46: "Grow long Blessed Night, so that for him tomorrow just won't be." Oil on Canvas 20" x 20" (50.8 x 50.8cm)	Gathasaptasati 1.73: "Whatever patch of limb he gazes upon with unblinking eyes, I cover up; but want him to see it anyway" Oil on Linen 36" x 48" (91.4 x 121.9cm)
Gathasaptasati 2.32: "His form is fixed in my eyes, his touch in my limbs, his whispers in my ear, and his heart is kept in my heart." Oil on Linen 48" x 48" (121.9 x 121.9cm)	Gathasaptasati 2.33: "She shut her eyes and imagined her lover on the bed…" Oil on canvas 36" x 36" (91 4 x 91.4cm)
Gathasaptasati 3.20: "With trembling eyes, like a caged bird, from behind the picket-fence, she watched you go." Oil on Canvas 20" x 20" (50.8 x 50.8cm)	Gathasaptasati 3.77: "…she continued to list your crimes, found that her fingers weren't enough and cried forever." Oil on Linen 40" x 40" (101.6 x 101.6cm)
Gathasaptasati 3.8: "Even by noon of the very first day, she'd etched the walls with lines, counting he left today, he left today, he left today." Oil on Linen 48" x 48" (121.9 x 121.9cm)	Gathasaptasati 4.97: “…without him sleep won’t come, so who can dream a dream?” Oil on Linen 24" x 24" (60.1 x 60.1cm)
Gathasaptasati 5.1: "... if you're breaking, Heart, go ahead and break, for I've just left him." Oil on canvas 36" x 36" (91 4 x 91.4cm)	I will leave your white house and tranquil garden Oil on Canvas 18" x 18" (45.7 x 45.7cm)
You leave something sweet behind and let me think about it slowly. Oil on board 7 3/4" x 9 3/4" (20 x 25cm)	I want and yet cannot push him from my mind (v2) Oil on Italian linen 7" x 9 1/2 " (18 x 24cm)
I want yet should not think about him Oil on canvas 8" x 8" (20.3 x 20.3cm)	On my belly as you enter me I think in flowers Oil on linen 40" x 40" (101.6 x 101.6cm)
Installation at Breathing Colours Gallery, 446 Darling St, Balmain NSW Australia	Installation at Breathing Colours Gallery, 446 Darling St, Balmain NSW Australia
Her thoughts were like storms Oil on canvas 8" x 8" (20.3 x 20.3cm)

Vipralambha - Love in separation

2014 - 2015

Gathasaptasati 1.20: "You've squeezed your eyes shut in false sleep and your limbs bristle with desire when I kiss your cheek.." Oil on Canvas 20" x 20" (50.8 x 50.8cm)

Gathasaptasati 1.29: "Now without him, I remember all the pleasures tasted." Oil on Linen 36" x 48" (91.4 x 121.9cm)

Gathasaptasati 1.46: "Grow long Blessed Night, so that for him tomorrow just won't be." Oil on Canvas 20" x 20" (50.8 x 50.8cm)

Gathasaptasati 1.73: "Whatever patch of limb he gazes upon with unblinking eyes, I cover up; but want him to see it anyway" Oil on Linen 36" x 48" (91.4 x 121.9cm)

Gathasaptasati 2.32: "His form is fixed in my eyes, his touch in my limbs, his whispers in my ear, and his heart is kept in my heart." Oil on Linen 48" x 48" (121.9 x 121.9cm)

Gathasaptasati 2.33: "She shut her eyes and imagined her lover on the bed…" Oil on canvas 36" x 36" (91 4 x 91.4cm)

Gathasaptasati 3.20: "With trembling eyes, like a caged bird, from behind the picket-fence, she watched you go." Oil on Canvas 20" x 20" (50.8 x 50.8cm)

Gathasaptasati 3.77: "…she continued to list your crimes, found that her fingers weren't enough and cried forever." Oil on Linen 40" x 40" (101.6 x 101.6cm)

Gathasaptasati 3.8: "Even by noon of the very first day, she'd etched the walls with lines, counting he left today, he left today, he left today." Oil on Linen 48" x 48" (121.9 x 121.9cm)

Gathasaptasati 4.97: “…without him sleep won’t come, so who can dream a dream?” Oil on Linen 24" x 24" (60.1 x 60.1cm)

Gathasaptasati 5.1: "... if you're breaking, Heart, go ahead and break, for I've just left him." Oil on canvas 36" x 36" (91 4 x 91.4cm)

I will leave your white house and tranquil garden Oil on Canvas 18" x 18" (45.7 x 45.7cm)

You leave something sweet behind and let me think about it slowly. Oil on board 7 3/4" x 9 3/4" (20 x 25cm)

I want and yet cannot push him from my mind (v2) Oil on Italian linen 7" x 9 1/2 " (18 x 24cm)

I want yet should not think about him Oil on canvas 8" x 8" (20.3 x 20.3cm)

On my belly as you enter me I think in flowers Oil on linen 40" x 40" (101.6 x 101.6cm)

Installation at Breathing Colours Gallery, 446 Darling St, Balmain NSW Australia

Installation at Breathing Colours Gallery, 446 Darling St, Balmain NSW Australia

Her thoughts were like storms Oil on canvas 8" x 8" (20.3 x 20.3cm)