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29th
Feb. – 12th Mar.’16: Pradarshak presents “Avataars” - Solo Exhibition of Paintings on Indian Mythology by Deeksha Roy.
Deeksha is a young
upcoming artist, who has discovered her true calling after dabbling in various creative
disciplines – accessory design, jewellery design etc. Her muse is her very
fertile imagination, when she perceives what the Gods would appear like in everyday
human situations.
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| Krishna in Moonlight_20" x 20"_Acrylic on Canvas |
Her
thoughts are then captured on to canvas with acrylic paints; her colour palette
– a lot of vermillion
– which is significant in all works; ochre , blue etc., bring the Gods alive,
emoting with human characteristic reactions in multifarious everyday
situations, the emotions expressed primarily via large expressive eyes and a
lucid body language. The imagery is discerningly kept simple to bring focus on
the subject.
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| All Smiles_40" x 20"_Acrylic on Canvas |
“The effort is directed to
bring freshness in the way Gods are represented...to make them appear more
approachable, and to experience how they would have led their lives on earth as
human forms,” explains Deeksha.
Going deeper into what
has influenced Deeksha over the years and has surfaced in her works… “The first
thing which comes to my mind is the Chola age bronze sculptures,” she informs. “They
exude grace, perfection, eloquence and a sense of rhythm. Their perfect mudras, postures and alertness always
amazed me and have had a profound effect on my imagination of Gods, as they
manifest as human beings.”
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| Shiva & Ganesha at Leisure_24" x 36"_Acrylic on Canvas |
Deeksha is also greatly
impacted by Indian classical dance forms like Bharatanatyam and Kathakali, where
the dancers express and emote with their eyes for the most part. This
characteristic is very prominent in her works, where the eyes become the
primary and most important mode of expression.
Her paintings of Hanuman
are particularly striking; with Hanuman portrayed in action, in vigour and in
emotive forms. The paintings bring out the multifarious personalities of the God
and try to reach the various layers behind the divinity of Hanuman, to seek and
bring out those qualities, which make him the magnetic God that he is.
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| Laxmi with Owl_24" x 24"_Acrylic on Canvas |
The imagery, which
ultimately unfolds is thus unconventional and contrasts the divine form of Gods
that we see all around us. “I derive satisfaction when this imagery surprises
me …and I believe that any truly original work of art should have the quality
to surprise us...to make us sit up and notice. As I continue with this
self-discovery, I hope that I continue to surprise myself and others!” she
concludes.