Central Library, September 3 - December, 2024
Artist statement:
To me, Art is a universal language. From the beginning of human history, man has always conveyed his life experience through drawings. Even today, as we look at the prehistoric cave drawings and the Egyptian hieroglyphics, they bring out the story of how humans used to live thousands of years ago. They show us their day-to-day routines, their struggles with their environment and their communal bonding. This story telling aspect is what fascinates me as it gives me a sense of confidence that no matter the background of the observer, they will be able to comprehend some part of the story I am trying to tell through my paintings.
My road down the Art world started about 20 years ago, when I volunteered to make various dioramas from Indian mythology for our community events. People really appreciated my work, and I enjoyed working with like-minded folks coming up with creative ideas to display the ‘larger than life’ scenes from those stories. This eventually rekindled my passion for painting, and I decided to spread my joy via teaching kids this fun filled activity.
A few years back I got interested in the Indian folk-arts. These paintings are not only visually appealing because of their vibrant colors, but also are rich in cultural history. They gave me an avenue to display India’s vast cultural heritage in a unique way through different styles, each related to different regions of the country. My hope through this exhibition is to inspire our younger generation to appreciate cultural diversity, no matter where they live and what their background is. I believe Art has the power to bring people closer together and these paintings is my humble contribution towards it. These painting are also a tribute to all the Folk art artists who have kept this art form alive for thousands of years so that successive generations may get to enjoy it’s beauty.