From the menace of urbanisation encroaching on the natural habitat of wildlife to the depletion of natural resources brought about by climate change, wildlife in popular culture is often depicted in relation to man. Artist Charumati Nirwan, however, has kept her focus on a single subject, the tiger, in her ongoing exhibition titled ‘Roaring Revival – Tigers of India’ displayed at the All India Fine Arts and Crafts Society in Delhi.
The exhibition, on till October 26, celebrates the success of 50 years of Project Tiger launched in 1973. The charcoal sketches of the big cat, along with Nirwan’s watercolour paintings of the flora and fauna, aim to elicit a conversation on a primary environmental concern—the conservation of India’s wildlife.
Nirwan is from Jaipur; she has had a keen interest in paintings ever since she was a child. “I loved art since I was in school and I was always attracted to nature. It became my inspiration. I would focus a lot on florals and birds and that is what most of my paintings were about,” she says. Nirwan’s work on florals are clean and streaked with delicate details, and made in a mix of watercolours and oil pastels.
Pressured by family to continue with her higher studies, the artist had to leave her life of art behind and focus on her education. “At the time, if one did well in academics, they didn’t take up art. So, my focus shifted more towards my studies and I was always sort of brainwashed into thinking that this is just a hobby,” the artist, who also has a PhD in Psychology, explains.
Her stay at the Ranthambore National Park in the Sawai Madhopur district of Rajasthan for two years reignited her love for art. This time, the artist was entranced by the majestic beauty of the tigers in the sanctuary. “I got many opportunities to see the tiger in the wild. That’s when I got attracted to it. Its beauty really fascinated me. Also at the national park, there’s a Ranthambore Foundation that promotes artists who do charcoal work. I interacted with them and picked up their technique. Now, over the years I’ve made my own style and I’ve been continuing with that work ever since,” she says.
While Nirwan took to charcoal for its simplicity, she explains the conservationists in the national park played an important role in bringing her focus to the tigers as her muse. “I used to interact with a lot of renowned conservationists like Valmik Thapar and Fateh Singh Rathore. They were very instrumental in bringing the tigers into focus. When Project Tiger began, they did a very in-depth study of tigers and brought it into the limelight through their pictures and books,” she says.
The artist reveals that the conservationists, who had a glimpse of her work, encouraged her to continue with it. “Their encouragement gave me focus. Instead of just doing abstract paintings of flowers or landscapes, it gave me a direction to build on my work with tigers,” Nirwan adds. She has also added leopards to the collection this year.
Nirwan’s sketches capture tigers in their natural habitat – poised, relaxed and at home. The measured strokes of fissure on the stripes and finer details on the furs almost give an impression of a photograph. One such water-coloured painting of a tiger titled ‘Ranthambore’ stands out in the gallery. Nirwan deftly paints a tiger resting on the ruins of a dilapidated palace building. With only the outlines of a jharokha (window) supported by a wooden pillar visible, the tiger seems relaxed. Its head rests on its paws as it lies sprawled on the floor, as if it is on the verge of losing itself to deep slumber. The painting is a glimpse into a world of the wild one rarely is privy to; it reminds us that a tiger’s life is as important as a man’s.
“Tigers have a very magnetic charm. I try to bring that to my work. You don’t get to see this side of them often. I never really paint them in their aggressive moods. I try to show them as calm creatures in the confines of their home. Seeing them in the wild is a whole different experience than seeing them in the zoo or in the pictures,” she says.
Nirwan’s exhibition is, for her, a return to the gallery after nine years. This exhibition, while being a showcase of her work, also turns the spotlight on the topic of tiger protection amidst other important environmental subjects. “Urbanisation is important, but we need to find a balance between that and the wildlife ecosystem. When people walk out of this exhibition, I hope they are reminded that we need to protect our tigers and the jungles. If we do so, we will also manage to protect our environment and then the entire planet,” she urges.