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The National Portrait Gallery acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of Country throughout Australia and recognises the continuing connection to lands, waters and communities. We pay our respect to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures and to Elders both past and present.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander viewers are warned that this website contains images of deceased persons.

Collaboration – Sam Goraya, Santosh Ram and Samir Kumar Panigrahi backstage before a performance of Kundalini: The Awakening!, n.d.

Zlatko Varenina

inkjet print on paper
Collaboration – Sam Goraya, Santosh Ram and Samir Kumar Panigrahi backstage before a performance of Kundalini: The Awakening!, n.d.

Sam Goraya, Santosh Ram and Samir Kumar Panigrahi keep the Indian classical dance Odissi alive through performances such as Kundalini – The Awakening! Here they are pictured applying makeup before a show at the Melbourne Theatre Company.

‘Putting make up on and getting into a character reflects how we take on different roles in our daily life and perform to the best of our abilities to achieve a harmonious outcome,’ says Goraya. ‘A collaborative approach to achieve a common goal by providing guidance and support to one another as one does in real life within family and friends.’

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The National Portrait Gallery acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of Country throughout Australia and recognises the continuing connection to lands, waters and communities. We pay our respect to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures and to Elders past and present. We respectfully advise that this site includes works by, images of, names of, voices of and references to deceased people.

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