Heavenly Bodies

Kala Mandala Art & Research

Heavenly Bodies is a collection of selected illustrations drawn between 2023–2024. I also wrote an introduction outlining my thoughts and intentions underpinning the creation of Kala Mandala, and featured some material objects from Southeast Asia that have been important in my world building.

The illustrations are accompanied by write-ups on questions like, “What have Southeast Asian people historically used instead of paper?”, and “What are Khakkharas and their relationship to Southeast Asian Buddhism?”

All images and expositions are intended to help folks visualize this space of Southeast Asian fantasy.

You can read the introduction below. It’s short but took me years to achieve this clarity.

Kala Mandala is a fantasy world centred on Southeast Asia. 

It is created from years of reading and learning, brewing and stewing, drawing and exploring. It is born from imagining a night sky, identifying stars and mapping constellations. I have drawn many stars, many constellations.A few stars have helped in guiding my way. 

They are:

1. Centering on Southeast Asia, leaving Eurocentric fantasy.
2. Exploring the region's shared histories and fluid identities, departing from ethno-nationalist narratives.
3. Bolstering imagination and fun, beyond tokenism and representation.

These are some of those stars, their constellations, and the paths they have illuminated.

There are 3 sections:

• Black and white drawings.
• Coloured illustrations.
• Interesting objects.

Specifications: 40 pages, A5 size  (148 x 2210 mm or 5.83 x 8.27 inches) 

Want more? Check out the entire Kala Mandala Collection!