Thursday, July 12, 2012

The mind behind an enriching and eye pleasing visual expressions

Painting has been a passion for Jayasri Burman from her childhood. It’s her life and the motivational force that has kept her going. Both as an artist and as a human being her philosophy is simple.

The artist explains: “If you smile, you can make others smile; if you cry, you then make others sad hence I made up my mind to make people happy.” Her uncomplicated approach to art is marked by subjects that remain traditional. Divine and mythological characters like Dhritarashtra-Gandhari, Shiva-Parvati, Durga and Lakshmi fill her canvases that brim with bright colors and energy.

The sensitivities gathered from both myth and reality - the Ramayana, the Mahabharata, Tagore, the drama, ‘jatra’, bewildering Buddha images in Cambodia, music of raindrops, morning dew and soothing Rabindra Sangeet - melt into her paintings. Lotus, stems and other mythological symbols tend to branch in and out of the mythical surroundings. The artist's closeness to Nature is also reflected her in works.

Having been nurtured on fascinating tales of mythological characters, gods and goddesses, her father would read out, the memories got firmly entrenched in her heart. As she grew up, the images of popular goddesses turned into ubiquitous characters like ordinary young girls for her – emerging from their divine aura; playing merrily in the forests, singing, dancing and listening to music.

The images are largely derived from the vast, enchanting tradition of Hindu mythology. Her imagery exudes a dream-like and lyrical quality. She keeps returning to her favorite themes of myth and fable in order to revisit her roots. Akin to Madhubani technique with an affinity to printmaking style, her fairytale inspired works are comprised of motifs like swans, birds and fish – all warming up to her female figures.

Spelling out her influences, the sensitive artist says, “I appreciate every form of art. But I live in a very traditional space, and what surfaces on my canvas is essentially the reality of my surroundings. I don’t live in a skyscraper so I cannot really connect with ultra-modern themes.”

No comments:

Post a Comment