HYDERABAD: Panchbhoot. Panchatatva. The basic elements that constitute the entire earth. But the five elements that rule the artworks of three artists: Purnima Gupta, Arti Nagpal, Premnath Basa are of the world of colours. The opuses reflect emotions/expressions, rich colours and texture, simplicity of rural life, natural landscapes, and ecosystem. Their group exhibition is ongoing at Alliance Francaise Hyderabad.
Purnima Gupta, the Hyderabad-based artist, has drawn several faces with different expressions: some of them glum, a few sombre while the rest presenting different looks in their wrinkles and lines. By profession she’s a medical practitioner. No wonder then that the faces drawn are subconscious reflections of the patients she may have interacted with. Ask her and she says with a smile, “Maybe. Most of them are from my imagination and hence appear abstract.” On being asked what elements of panchatatva she’s used for her artworks she responds, “My artworks have several textures and when looked at closely one can see that various elements of nature are hidden there.” That’s how in her artwork titled ‘Mother Earth’ one can see a serene woman in a robe and Oriental earrings against a midnight blue background with streaks of red all around. She takes the centre-stage while the sickle of the moon hangs around her arm with a pale face pasted on it. A tree stands at the bottom while Saturn with its ring lurks in the expanse of the blue.
Arti Nagpal, from Delhi has chosen to express her art through three stages of life. She says, “I have created my artworks in mixed media. The first one shows childhood of this generation. The elements are blue sky and butterflies. The second one is on adolescents featured in pink. I have shown a small girl with wings which means you can fly high but also need to come back and connect to your roots. The third one is made of newspaper cuttings and created as a collage.” It’s Alliance Francaise Hyderabad which brought the three artists together. The third artist is Premnath Basa who’s created opuses blending the elements. He says, “It’s based on landscape and rural lifestyle. I have included indigenous people, their skills. The landscapes are of mountains. Have also used flowers in my paintings.” Most of his artworks are in acrylics. He’s self-taught. His family members are from art background that’s why his inclination towards it. He has showcased an interesting mix of lines and dots.The exhibition is on till October 31
— Saima Afreen
saima@newindianexpress @Sfreen