There is no dearth of talent in our country, especially when it comes to the field of art. This is evident from the fact that every week brings a new artist into focus. This weekend, one can witness the wonderful artistic practise of artist Anvi Singla in her solo show titled “You will find me,” presented by Gallery Sree Arts, curated by Jitendra Padam Jain at the Galerie Romain Rolland, Alliance Française de Delhi, Indo-French Cultural Centre, 72, K.K. Birla Lane, Lodhi Estate, New Delhi.
The unique fact about this exhibition is that the artist has used handmade paper made from the ashes of parali (the lower part of the paddy crop which is left over). This show will be on preview on July 1, 2022 from 6:30 pm onwards, and will be on view thereafter till July 3, 2022, from 11 am to 7 pm.
Across cultures and countries and over time, artists have depicted the theme of nature in various ways, with the belief that it is connected to earthly life as well as celestial powers. Nature inspires artists by stirring feelings of wonder and awe. Depictions of mountains, trees, and flowers essentially express an artist’s image of nature and the cosmos. Anvi Singla shows her love for nature in this series of paintings. Her artworks are abstract depictions of nature, with fluid lines and vibrant colours that seize the play of light and shadows. She uses gold, traditionally laden with spiritual significance, to enhance the luminosity of bright hues and show her reverence for nature and, through it, spirituality. Her paintings show her reflection of the world around her, her exploration of beauty, and her joy in the elegance of nature. “Her conceptualization conveys depth and perspective and portrays philosophical thoughts and mystical wisdom,” says the curator, Jain. He himself was born in Alwar, Rajasthan in 1976 and is an acclaimed art curator and art collector who has promoted over 500 artists. For this exhibition, Jain has selected works from Singlas oeuvre that display the artists unending passion for nature.
Singla works out of her studio in Gurugram and is currently focussing her attention on art by pursuing her Senior Diploma in Painting from JJ Sanskriti School of Visual Arts, Gurugram. In this series she showcases the correlation between humans and nature in abstract form. She has used mostly hues of gold in her paintings.
When asked how this exhibition came about, Jain says, “The artist is sending messages through her art. In this series she is showcasing the correlation between human and nature in abstract form. The golden colour that she has chosen to use in her paintings highlights her unique artistic abilities, and the fact that she is working with such an unusual medium related to the paddy crop, is particularly fascinating to me as a curator. I am sure that the audience will also find it very intriguing to see the art. The fact of the matter is that nature and celestial powers have attracted humans for centuries, particularly creative souls like artists. And I personally feel that Singlas works really capture this idea well.”
Speaking about the art works, Singla adds, “My artworks show a correlation between nature and colour, and I believe that is strongly evident in all my works.” As with the elements of nature, every colour has a meaning, so the colour blue depicts water bodies and air, while the colour red depicts fire and the colour green depicts forestation. I hope I am able to convey my message of the preservation of nature through my art with the use of these strong colours. “
Jain also felt drawn to Singla’s strong use of colour, and that was the reason he was most happy to work with her. In fact, his curatorial process in selecting the art for this exhibition relied on her strong, colourful motifs and the way they attracted him. This particular exhibition has 40 art works on display, and each one is distinctive in its own right. The tremendous effort that went into making this series is evident from the fact that it took almost one year to put it together.
When asked what is next on the cards, Singla says, “I am preparing to showcase my next series in Mumbai with a new theme.” For Jain, the next step is another exhibition. He will be showcasing the work of Seema Pandey, a very senior artist in her chosen genre. This exhibition will take place at Triveni Kala Sangam in Mandi House in New Delhi.
Singla signs off by saying, “The reason I have chosen this medium is to make people aware that we should not harm nature, otherwise it will harm us.” Let’s hope people take her advice.