NEW DELHI: On sauntering through Triveni Kala Sangam’s Shridharani Art Gallery, you will be greeted with a myriad of colours thanks to the display of 26 pieces. These are part of an exhibition titled Pravah, showcasing works by artist Shampa Sircar Das. Among them, the diptych Purush and Prakriti is inspired by Lord Shiva’s form Ardhanarishvara—masculine and feminine energies.
On one canvas you see a man surrounded by banana trees, while the other is of a meditative woman holding a hibiscus flower, with free tigers on canvas. A sculpture of the Nandi—the sacred bull is made of fibreglass with a texture of bronze—is placed in front, as though looking at these two works. Das explains that Prakriti is inspired by the Rabha tribe; it represents a benevolent mother who gives everything to her children. Explaining Purush, the Delhi-based artist shares, “My inspiration comes from a farmer I saw in the South—he was wearing a white dhoti. The image is of this man in a banana plantation, as a creator.”
Celebrating Indian culture
Growing up in a quintessential Bengali home, the traditions—from the folk art of alpana to idol-making—and folktales of the region have always influenced Das’ art. She shares, “Bengali culture has always been an integral part of my growing-up years. During Durga Puja, idol-making was one thing we followed as kids. Even alpana, and things like crochetting and knitting bags,” says the CR Park resident, who is a former student of Delhi’s College of Art and Jamia Millia Islamia.
Her work, however, is also a by-product of her extensive travels in the country. Tribal people, folk artists, weavers, potters, and potuas [Bengali for limners] play crucial parts too. “Our country is enriched with everything, giving a different ethnic ethos. These have helped me build my compositions on canvas,” Das says.
Another constant seen in her paintings is the use of colours and textures. “When I was in Ladakh, I was influenced by the bright reds and the turquoise of the Pangong Lake and the landscape—it has bright reds, almost like a monk wearing a red robe or the prayer flag. But then, you have barren areas, completely devoid of colour.”
As the name suggests, the central theme of this ongoing exhibition is ‘pravah’, which means flow. According to Das, ‘pravah’ represents the flow of life that she has experienced through her journeys and experiences in the country. “It is like water that is free flowing, and water takes the shape of any vessel that it is put into.”
Deep connection with nature
Working with acrylic, Das shares, allows her to experiment, given it is a spontaneous medium with which she can add thicker layers and texture it with watercolours. “Acrylic has been my medium of choice since my college days... there are about four or five canvases on which I put patches of colour. This process takes a year and a half [as did Pravah]. It is like you are writing an essay; it is not a hurried process.”
Shampa’s current works are a reflection of her deep connection with Indian philosophy as well as the five elements of nature. Curator Anu Bajaj shares, “Pravah is a celebration of the flow of water, and the transformative power of intuition. I am thrilled to be curating it and bringing Shampa’s stunning works to the people.”
As we walked out of the exhibition venue, we noticed Shampa’s Dashavatar series, a concept inspired by Darwin’s theory of evolution. Synonymous with Vishnu’s ten avatars, this series too begins with the emergence of life as seen in Matsya—the fish avatar, and ends with the Kalki—a man with a sword in hand, riding a horse. “When the imbalance is utmost, then, probably, we will have Kalki to come in and destroy everything, and the cycle of life will continue again,” concludes Das.
CHECK IT OUT
What: ‘Pravah’—A solo exhibition by Shampa Sircar Das
When: Till April 14, 11:00 am to 8:00 pm
Where: Shridharani Art Gallery, Triveni Kala Sangam, Tansen Marg, Delhi