A permanent presence of the past
The American Midwest and a sleepy city in Haryana, artist Joya Mukerjee Logue straddles two different worlds. Born in Ohio to an Indian-Bengali father and American mother, home holds dual meanings for her—a young girl of mixed race who embraced a country that promises the American Dream, and another where she finds comfort in memories in a dusty world peopled with ancestors.
Her first solo in India titled those who walk before me at the Vadehra Gallery in Delhi speaks of the second one—the dimly lit and winding lanes of Ambala. “Presenting my paintings for the first time in India is important to me as it connects the art, the muse and my mixed heritage,” says the 47-year-old artist.
It didn’t take her long to put together the show: just about seven months ago. But her themes concern decades, maybe centuries. They explore the topography of her ancestral village, the house, the surrounding streets and the generations of family who called that place entire home. Modern artists often explore their heritage, perhaps because it is easy and personal and also because it is a journey to understanding themselves and the cultural centre of gravity that gives them a place among small histories.
“The title of my show refers to the continuity of family and community in a single area for almost 200 years,” says the Cincinnati-based artist. “I paint what I see, experience. While many artists see the past, its imagery is part of the present, too. Memory allows us the continuity with previous generations, and carry unique experiences to the future. They form a very important component of belonging,” says the artist.
Her works and the way they have been structured is derivative of post-Impressionist artists such as Pierre Bonnard and Édouard Vuillard, known for their loose brushwork, and scenes of everyday life. Logue takes inspiration from the work of contemporary photographer Dayanita Singh, who is known for intimate and archival imagery. Logue describes herself as an archivist, a chronicler.
“Through my art I’m preserving history, memory and experiences. My work centres around themes of family, identity and culture. All of which are personal, but yet universal. I often find myself using painting as a medium to document my experiences, much like a photojournalist. I paint to remember. Everywhere I go I carry a sketchbook and some watercolours, to capture what I see, feel and what I want to remember,” she says.
There is a lot of remembrance there since hers is a family of five generations of physicians. She draws comparison between her art and that of London-based Matthew Krishanu, who according to her “depicts his personal narrative of a mixed heritage in a universal way and with simplicity”.
Since the past is the escort of her imagination, her palette is earthy: from the faded umbrella, old paint on a building, the terracotta of clay pots and brick, and wilting flowers, to the sun-drenched landscape and the dusty roads. Within these muted depictions, her paintings shine brightly on women. “I grew up with three sisters.
I was always surrounded by strong women, including my mother, grandmother, my aunts and great aunts. During my visits to India, they told me stories and shared experiences,” she recalls. This world is what she wishes to preserve and celebrate through her work. Perhaps Logue is more than an artist holding a paint brush, searching for the colour of her roots. Because the roots never vanished.