|
Sajitha Shankhar's art exhibition
 Sajitha R Shankhar, a prolific artist, has been awarded numerous awards and grants. She has had almost 20 solo exhibitions and participated in close to 40 group exhibitions all over the world. The Alliance Francaise of Madras (AFM) presents the work of this important artist, whom it presented earlier in 1995.
'Archetypes: A search through self' a painting and sculpture exhibition by Sajitha Shankhar will be inaugurated at the AFM gallery on March 22 at 6.30 p.m.. It will be on view till April 3. Gallery timings: 9.30 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 2 p.m. to 7 p.m. (Monday-Fridays) and 9.30 a.m. to 1.30 p.m. on Saturday.
This is what Sajitha has to say about her work:
"Once I begin to work on a painting, a chain of thought comes to the fore and I feel a compulsion to develop ideas through an open-ended series of works: some people might interpret this as a form of escapism but I see it rather as a conviction in the validity of art itself.
Before actually beginning a painting, I always have a particular theme in mind, but through the working process this develops and changes as my own relationship with the canvas or watercolour is formed. To hold conviction in my own mind, a work must begin to ask questions to me about our very existence. I believe therefore, that when the dialogue between a work of art and the artist is deep rooted, the presence of the artist in that work is ever present. When considering aesthetics, for me this is one of the most important and telling aspects of art.
From the works of great masters, such as Massaccio, Rembrandt, Kathe Kollwitz and Emile Nolde, specific moods and feelings are evoked with such sincerity that we can also relate such emotions to our own lives. If a work retains our concentration and attention and can speak to us of moods and moments of our inner selves, I believe that it is only then that it is elevated from "decoration" to "art". For me, only art can lift and speak to us in such a way and this is the reason that through the centuries it has come to shape civilization.
The works, which I have done, until now are, I feel, just a beginning. Born and brought up in
Kerala, the life-style of villagers, the landscape of the backwaters and the traditional art forms of dance and music, all continue to hold nostalgia for me that also have a relevance to my painting. In 1984, I travelled to Santiniketan and during that visit met Mr. K
G Subramaniam. I was much impressed by his work and his overall approach to art. Another artist who has held particular importance for me is K C S Panicker whose early works such as "Humanity", I was drawn to since I was a student.
My individualism slowly emerged in the form of a deep concern for the status of women, the reality in which I lived, the meaning of existence.
My earlier works mean something strongly to me regarding the potential of women. Many women who have given away too much of themselves talk of recovering their losses, of recovering their earlier freedom. And surprisingly enough, though I began my work with a strong bias towards women, I gradually discovered that men were also victims of the same system they had created... and at a point it was difficult to differentiate between men and women as victors and victims of a vicious system that had influenced the human psyche over a long period of time.
Till now my search was, in the main, of an autobiographical nature. Now I am into a deeper search through ARCHETYPES: A SEARCH THROUGH SELF. From my series of self-portraits, elements encourage one to look beyond the purely formal in search of clues to the articulation of identity as an artist and as an independent woman. The expressive potential and ultimate mystery inherent in the human face. What I want to show in my work is the idea that hides itself behind the so-called reality."
The exhibition is on view till April 3.
RR
Published on 20th March, 2004
More
Articles
|
