NAVARASA

Nava means nine, Rasa means emotional state or emotions. It connotes a concept in Indian arts about the aesthetic flavour of any visual, literary or musical work that evokes an emotion or feeling in the reader or audience but cannot be described. It refers to the emotional flavours/essence crafted into the work by the writer and relished by a 'sensitive spectator', literally one who "has heart", and can connect to the work with emotion, without dryness.Rasa and bhava are the two major elements in almost all Indian classical performing art forms. Rasas are created by bhavas. Bhava means the state of mind, mental attitude or mental disposition. 

According to the Rasa theory of the Natya Shastra, entertainment is a desired effect of performance arts but not the primary goal, and the primary goal is to transport the audience into another parallel reality, full of wonder and bliss, where they experience the essence of their own consciousness, and reflect on spiritual and moral questions.

Although the concept of rasa is fundamental to many forms of Indian arts including dance, music, theatre, painting, sculpture, and literature, the interpretation and implementation of a particular rasa differs between different styles and schools.

I chose to create mime portraits and not using traditional Indian ethnic imagery and decided to create the natya navarasa.

The nine emotions are Shringara (love/beauty), Hasya (laughter), Karuna (sorrow), Raudra (anger), Veera (heroism/courage), Bhayanaka (terror/fear), Bibhatsya (disgust), Adbutha (surprise/wonder) and Shantha (peace or tranquillity)