Artist Aparna Banerjee grew up in a Bengali household steeped in literature, poetry, lively discussions, and music. The daughter of a journalist, she inherited a vivid imagination from the stories her father brought home. She began painting early in life, and at her ongoing Delhi exhibition, 'The Sacred Wild', she brings together her perspectives on nature, stories, and myths through her acrylic and watercolour works.
“I have seen my mother spending time in nature—feeding birds, talking to them, just sitting and watching. Back then, I didn’t understand much, but slowly, when I look back, I get it,” says Banerjee. “Now I have a small garden where I grow lotuses.” The lotus, she notes, often reappears in her canvases—vibrant and symbolic, blooming in the corners of her works.
Flowers, animals, and nature recur as motifs, quietly commenting on the lives and strength of women. One such work, 'Breath of Kastoori', depicts a musk deer searching for the source of a fragrance, unaware that it comes from within herself. “This is the woman—like the Kasturi—who may be distressed or hurt, yet continues to care for everyone around her,” says Banerjee. She reflects on women’s empowerment, saying: “Globally, the strength of women needs to be acknowledged. If we talk about India specifically, the women’s force deserves recognition. They need space to be themselves, to explore, to learn, and to speak about their challenges. Once you give them that freedom and empower them, they do wonders for society.”
Banerjee’s paintings also explore the crossover between architecture and the feminine. In 2023, she travelled along the Silk Route and through southern India, drawing inspiration from the country’s rich architectural heritage—especially Tamil Nadu’s temple towns, from Kanchipuram to Chettinad, and the detailed hand-carved designs on Burmese teak, a craft slowly disappearing. “I found similarities between those enduring structures and the women we see around us—strong women who have stood the test of time, holding families and societies together. They are silent, yet carry immense responsibility—educating, nurturing, passing down culture, and caring for others,” she reflects.
In her earthy canvases of blues and browns, she juxtaposes pillars with peahens that peek from behind or stand above, observing — symbolising women, much like the peahens she has observed in her own garden. “Peacocks are all about the dance, the glitz, the glamour, trying to attract the females. But the peahens are different; they’re explorers. They wander, find their way, gather grains, not just for themselves, but to bring back to their family.”
A self-taught artist, Banerjee has always painted. Alongside a literature degree in English and fashion diplomas from IIFT and NIFT, she is also a photographer, capturing moments from her travels that are exhibited alongside her paintings. “I naturally understand perspective, those special angles, the way light and shadow fall. It all comes quite intuitively to me. Photography doesn’t feel difficult. It allows me to connect with people and show things another person might not notice,” she notes.
Her canvases carry an earthy, soft quality, never flashy. “My colours are always very intellectually considered,” she notes. “Each colour depicts something; it’s not just for show. The palette is meant to be soothing to the eye and the soul. I wouldn’t pick red just because it’s flashy. I might choose a raw brown, or ultramarine mixed with something subtler—bright, yes, but toned down, muted, thoughtful. Every shade is layered, intentional, and carries meaning.”
On view at Kalamkaar Gallery, First Floor, Bikaner House, Pandara Road, until 14 October, from 11 am onwards
