Longing fills the creative abyss with colours of calling

We’ve all felt that nag of persistent, unsettling hankering for dreams to be realised, for hopes to be met, for aspirations to find home, for lost childhood, for the remembrance of a familiar landscap
Longing fills the creative abyss with colours of calling

We’ve all felt that nag of persistent, unsettling hankering for dreams to be realised, for hopes to be met, for aspirations to find home, for lost childhood, for the remembrance of a familiar landscape, reminiscing old imageries and nostalgic memories. Poetry of Longing is an exhibition that’s been put together to drive home the point about how our yearning is a big, important part of our lives that reflect deeply on our personal life trajectories.

The collection of artworks in this exhibition are very personal as they drown themselves in intimate stories laced with personal reminiscing. There is artist Seema Kohli who paints the process of swayamsiddha or self-realisation. Dharmendra Rathores’s traces his spiritual journey. He brings up his childhood dreams and ideologies he has long professed. The busker series by Pratap SJB Rana are inspired by his struggles of being shackled in a corporate life. Samir Mohanty’s canvas is replete with his fondness for natural beauty. “I believe that if we don’t dream, our desires will never come true. We dream, we aspire and work towards it. That’s the mantra that always works,” says Tripat Kalra, Founder, Nvya Art Gallerie that is the organising partner of the Artist Playground, an initiative intended to add elements of local interest, cultural intrigue and visual ingenuity at Pullman’s communal space.

The play of emotions here are a complex mix of both beatific and solemn narratives. Kalra calls it a pensive show which could prove to be a stress buster for the viewers. Aditi’s mini truck aspires to become the biggest trucker on the road, while Lal Bahadur Singh’s work, Metro, depicts the feel good factor brought into our world with the coming of the transportation,” she says.

One of the many ways in which our mind keeps itself anchored in desire is hope. The short little word of ‘longing’ makes way for possibilities. The emotion is an instrument that connects us with our past feelings and guides our future path. “Personally, longing is a term that has defined and redefined itself in the different phases of my life. There is the personal yearning for happiness that relates to one’s own circle of family and friends.  On another macro level it could signify a longing for global peace and the end to violence,” says art consultant  and documentarian, Ina Puri, who has curated the show.

Art had always been a way of life for her. It’s her passion for the arts that attracted her to the right people too. She feels extremely fortunate for having found Mahasweta Devi, her aunt, who was a celebrated writer and activist, in her life “I grew up in a culturally fertile environment and my heart longed to be
a part of this fascinating world early on,” she remembers.

Longing can be manifested into a goal for the larger benefit of the world rather than just personal satisfaction. However, KalraI believes that achieving personal satisfaction and working for the benefit of humanity are complementary goals.

In this respect she quotes Rabindranath Tagore: ‘I slept and dreamt that life was joy. I awoke and saw that life was service. I acted, and behold, service was joy.’ In that spirit, there needs to be longing to make things complete for personal growth and to achieve broader societal balance,” believes Kalra. On view till March 16, round the clock, at Artist Playground, Pullman New Delhi Aerocity.

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