Artist Meena Yadav’s sketchbook always accompanies her. “My sketchbook has been my constant companion since childhood,” she says. “While travelling across cities due to my father’s postings, I explored the world through colours and imagination.”
Yadav’s works are currently on display at an ongoing exhibition, ‘Astitva: The Essence of Being’, at Delhi’s India Habitat Centre, till December 7.
The use of multiple bright colours — green, yellow, red, pink, and blue — is prominently noticeable in her works. With different textures painted out of oil and acrylics, Yadav creates abstract art inspired by erosion, flow, and “the emotional resonance of spaces”.
“Each painting carries its own palette, rhythm, and emotional landscape,” she tells TMS. “Through layered brushstrokes and textured abstractions, the artworks offer a diverse yet interconnected exploration of existence and inner quiet.”
The artworks on display at the exhibition are part of a series she’s been working on for over the past couple of years.
Yadav’s journey into the art world started when she realised she found refuge in making art. She started training at Delhi’s Triveni Kala Sangam. For over two decades, the artist has built an abstract style focusing on human-nature, emotional depth, and continuous self-evolution.
According to her, the exhibition is a reminder to pause and observe our lives, and reflect upon ourselves. “In today’s fast-paced world, where human connections and time with nature are increasingly fragmented, ‘Astitva’ serves as a gentle reminder to slow down, observe, and rediscover the elements of life we often overlook — the rhythms, textures, and moments that ground us,” she says.