132cm x 107cm (52” x 42”)
Oil on Canvas
2019
This painting presents an intimate and visceral portrayal of the Thaipusam ritual, capturing the piercing of a devotee’s body in close detail. The composition draws the viewer’s eye to the moment when a man, with focused determination, slides a sharp needle into a roll of skin pulled taut. The act is framed by the purifying flames of a fire burning in front of him. Surrounding him, a group of men provide unwavering support, embodying solidarity and shared faith, urging him to endure and transcend the physical pain.
The central figure, with his arm raised, exposes his torso in a pose that I tried to evoke the emotional intensity of Caravaggio’s The Incredulity of Saint Thomas and vulnerability and strength, sacrifice and transcendence. The painting becomes an exploration of faith, endurance, and the communal bonds that sustain acts of devotion.