HYDERABAD: ‘Ashwatha - The Sacred Tree’ an art exhibition by Sarla Chandra ongoing at Kalakriti Art Gallery focuses on trees as to how they one of the earth’s oldest life forms and witnesses the passing of time. Sarla, who hails from Agra, has the tryst with art which has spanned over 40 years. With more than 50 solo exhibitions and 40 group shows to her credit, her signature paintings are treasured by connoisseurs of art all over the world. She has experimented with a variety of mediums - oils, acrylics, watercolour’s, etching, lithographs, but her use of ‘Bhojpatra’–parchment, ‘Repousse’-metal embossing and ‘Varakh’– gold and silver foil, are unorthodox techniques.
The Atharva Veda speaks of the ‘Ashwatha’ tree as the home of the Gods. And Lord Buddha himself chose the Peepal tree to meditate under and attain Enlightenment. The Tree of Life represents many qualities like wisdom, strength, protection, beauty, bounty, redemption and growth, however, the interpretation perceived by different faiths and cultures remains the same; that the Tree of Life resonates singularly with ‘interconnectedness’.
Sarla’s art draws inspiration from the Sacred and the Eternal. Metaphysical concepts like cosmic energy, evolution, time and duality, make for her canvas, drawing viewers into an inward trip of spirituality. She explores the interaction of ‘Purush and Prakriti’ – man and nature using the ancient art of ‘Varq’ to give a luminous quality to her artworks. Her works also symbolise the elements of the universe – earth, water, air, fire and space as they are all interconnected with the thread of cosmic energy. The exhibition is on till June 28