Hailing from a family of some of the country’s leading vintage car connoisseurs, Baisa Vidita Singh of Barwani is a talented automotive artist with a signature collection of her own. Over the years, her spectacular paintings, which she terms as automotive art, have been exhibited alongside prestigious car rallies such as the Cartier Concours d’Elegance in Hyderabad and the Pebble Beach Concours in California. She is also a patron member at the Royal Fables exposition by Anshu Khanna. Baisa Vidita Singh’s distinct style includes painting reflections of cars, car parts as seen on the chrome and painted surfaces of automobiles, as well as their mirrors. The shift of perspective as offered by her unique eye makes her work all the more endearing, as it makes it difficult for the viewer to walk by a painting without giving it another look.
Rajputana Collective is honoured to have conducted a Q&A session with the highly talented artist and to have gained some of her insights into her art inspiration as well as the finer nuances of her imaginative work. Excerpts:
Q. Hailing from one of the most passionate vintage car curators of the country, please discuss how your father’s passion conditioned your childhood and understanding of vintage cars?
A. I have grown up with vintage and classic cars all around me, not only was I surrounded by real cars, model cars and loads of books on cars, even the dinner table conversations were about cars. My grandfather‘s, uncle’s and father’s passion for cars and their aesthetic sense has truly conditioned me as the artist I am today. My father’s passion for automotive restoration as well as his hard work has taught me that there are no shortcuts to success and quality. For our family automobiles, we owned are like part of our family and are living entities. So when I paint, firstly I enjoy my subject and understand it as a living entity that has emotions attached which I try and bring across in my artwork.
Q. What made you take up the profession of vintage automobile art? What are some of the specialisations in your art form/style that set it apart from the rest?
A. I believe that it’s my father’s passion for vintage automobiles that rubbed on to me that made me take up being a professional automotive artist. He saw the potential in me and encouraged me. My aesthetic sense and the effort to bring the soul of each of these beautiful cars on my canvas and the understanding of the special relation of these cars with their owners in the past is the specialisation that sets my style apart.
Q. Briefly discuss your most notable art project/collaboration to date?
A. My most notable works were a series of oil paintings that were titled Roll’s Royce encounters. These paintings portrayed what an exotic luxurious car like a Rolls Royce would face on its travels in its hay-days.
Q. How do you plan on impacting the world of vintage automobile culture with your artwork? Is there any streamlined vision that you have in mind?
A. My artworks are making an impact in the world of vintage automobiles as I have been trying my best to portray them as works of art and it has been recognised internationally. My vision to keep innovating new styles and melding the aesthetics of my culture to that of the automotive world will hopefully help in preserving the vintage car culture.
Q. Which is one international model that you look up to when it comes to the promotion of vintage car heritage?
A. Mercedes is doing a wonderful job
Q. What are some of the challenges that the Indian elite currently faces in the enhancement of vintage car curation as a hobby/passion?
A. There are no proper laws governing vintage cars and this is going to curb the hobby.
Q. Lastly, what is your vision vis-a-vis the future of vintage car automobiles art in India? How do you plan on partaking in this?
A. I hope that my art can encourage the young generation to preserve our heritage of vintage cars. By promoting and exhibiting my art internationally I hope to bring the attention of the car community around the world to appreciate the wonderful and exotic car collections in India.
Trivia
Your most prized automobile: Ford Thunderbird, my father’s gift
Your dream vehicle: Dusenberg
India’s finest vintage car restorer as per your views: My father Maharana Manvendra Singh
Your dream restoration project: Presently, it’s restoring my late uncle’s Cadillac
Your favourite vintage car makers: Cadillacs and Bentleys. Can’t choose between them