With the objective to revive natural indigo painting renowned artist Sangeeta Gupta decided to create a painting that is abstract, conceptual, minimalist on natural sustainable khaddar fabric with organic indigo colour and dye. Handmade fabric is environment friendly, natural colour and dye are handmade too and also they are chemical free. To promote sustainable living and natural indigo Prithvi fine art and cultural centre is set to organise a solo exhibition named ‘Adiyogi Shiv- A journey in cosmic indigo’ of textile paintings by Sangeeta Gupta from 6th to 12th October at Bikaner House Delhi.
Sangeeta Gupta has created the longest indigo painting on sustainable handspun khaddar textile titled, ‘Aadiyogi Shiv – A journey in cosmic indigo.’
In a candid conversation artist Sangeeta Gupta says, “I was in Jaipur to receive a lifetime achievement award for my contribution in the field of fine art in an art festival organised by Art Fiesta. During the festival I met Ashok Aatreya, a writer, an old acquaintance. We had some meaningful conversation about the indigo natural colour and dye. On the last day of my trip Ashok took me to a work centre in Ratelia, Sanganer to give me hands-on experience with indigo. I started to paint on the fabric with dabu. I was excited to experiment and could really paint well. Then I decided to create a mass appeal for revival of natural indigo by making a 100 metre long painting using the natural colour and dye on hand spun fabric.”
Artist Sangeeta Gupta had been conceptualising this painting since the end of December 2019.
After purchasing handspun khaddar cloth, natural indigo colour and dye, she started the actual painting and worked for nine days in Ratalia village, Sanganer at Shilpi Sansthan.
She further added, “I first painted with dabu, a muddy paste with brush and then put sawdust on it and then sun dried the painting. After that it was soaked in drums of indigo dye and then washed and dried again. The second method applied for painting is that I dyed the khaddar cloth first in light shades of indigo, dried it and then painted on the cloth again with a paint brush in dark shades of indigo colour. I have used both these methods to paint on the fabric. I completed 185 metres in nine days. Then I returned to Delhi as coronavirus infection had started spreading in nearby city Jaipur. Later I painted on the dyed cloth with dark indigo. The rest of the 15 metres painting I completed in my studio at Delhi. These works are born out of infinite, formless energy of Aadiyogi Shiv, Ardhnarishwar, the ultimate feminist. There is no beginning, no end, all encompassing, omnipresent Shiv is present in all of us.”