HYDERABAD: The 26 paintings currently being exhibited at Alliance Francaise ooze with colours in sparkling shades of scarlet, blue, mustard, and jade. They are figurative in jocund mood, swaying with the breeze and in some frames with one another. Are they just too happy or is it dance that they are performing? Yes, that’s what this exhibition titled ‘Tribute to Tradition’ is all about. Aditi Chakraborty, the artist from Calcutta who has painted these acrylics, happily shares her penchant for dance saying, “My daughter, who is 17 years old, is a trained dancer. Seeing her perform is quite a delight, I feel proud like any other mother.”
Her paintings capture dance in 22 forms mostly from India. She has painted dancers performing Kuchipudi, Bharatnatyam, Kathak, Kathakali, Manipuri and Sathriya choosing to showcase eight of the forms. But has she watched the artistes individually by going to each state? “Not exactly. During my travels to several places I have closely observed the dancers, watching each of their moves,” she shares adding, “I have included folk dance forms from Rajasthan like Chari, Bhavai, Kalbelia, among others.”
She began the series in October 2017. She started painting with abstract, semi-abstract and later figurative. She began painting 15 years ago and the most interesting part of her journey is that she didn’t go to any art school for a formal degree. She was in Nepal for a few years and that’s where she took private classes in painting. She has exhibited her works in various countries such as the UK, China, Nepal, Indonesia, France and Korea.
Ask her why most of her paintings look alike despite the fact that they are different from one another? “It is because of the colours of clothes that most dancers wear; most of them are common,” she adds.
The exhibition is on till September 10
— Saima Afreen
saima@newindianexpress
@Sfreen