The cover of PEN America 13: Lovers features a painting by Daisy Rockwell, aka Lapata, called Couple. For our online feature, we’re presenting a series of Rockwell’s paintings, part of an ongoing project in which she explores themes inspired by the Sanskrit aesthetic theory of Rasa.

Rasa is a Hindi word meaning “juice” or “essence.” Two thousand years ago, Bharata Muni identified eight Rasas in the Nātyasāstra, a work of dramatic theory, connecting each to an emotion and a color.

Through portraits of Facebook friends, colleagues, politicians, alleged terrorists and convicted torturers, Rockwell considers both the traditional rasas, or emotions, designated by Sanskrit philosophers and aestheticians, and also invents some new ones.

The Bhayanak Rasas, or the Rasas of Terror

Postcards from Paradise
Charles Graner and Lynndie England
Acrylic and glitter on wooden panel, 6”x 4”
 

New Hat
Portrait of Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab, on a school trip to London.
Acrylic on wooden panel, 12” x 8”
 

Experiment in International Living
Portrait of John Walker Lindh, aka “The American Taliban”
Acrylic on wooden panel, 8” x 12”
 

Self-Radicalized Woman with Small Stuffed Bear
Portrait of Colleen LaRose, aka “Jihad Jane”
Acrylic on wooden panel, 6” x 6”
 

Colleen LaRose
Portrait of Colleen LaRose, aka “Jihad Jane”
Acrylic on wooden panel, 8” x 12”
 

 Copyright © 2010 Daisy Rockwell. All rights reserved. For more visit daisyrockwell.com.