John Berger states that a line is not important because it records what we see, but because of what it will lead us on to see. He also adds that each mark we make on the paper is a stepping stone through which we proceed to the next. For me these marks symbolize time. Dot and spot occupy a major part of my work; to me they represent time. They are the records of the time that has gone by. It is difficult to explain time. Nobody controls it, it flows like a wave. One realizes its presence only when it has passed over. These marks lead the viewers through the work. We can never fathom the depth of our subconscious mind; images emerge from unexplored regions of subconsciousness, even I cannot tell where they originate. My works are of abstract nature. For me, the abstract has a sense of purity to it. It isn’t influenced by any existing notions or concepts. My intuition heavily influences my process of image-making. Image evolved through as I develop my work. With this process the meaning of work evolves. Once the work is finished, it is for the viewer to determine what they feel.
Each work emerges out of certain mental state, each of these works are representation of certain mental expression which are unfathomable by the mean of words. They are hard to describe, rather one need to experience these emotions. One cannot control a single stable emotion throughout; our emotions are static. And yet, we all try to hold on to that moment unaware to its fleeting nature. I have realized the temporality of happiness, when the signs of the ‘unpleasant’ begin to appear at the horizon of life. The moment I realized that I was experiencing a feeling which is in between the binaries of pleasant and unpleasant, the artist in me starts the process of giving form to the in betweenness of space and feeling. I realized how beautiful yet difficult it is to be in that moment as I am helpless in controlling it and stay there forever.
Our emotions are layered, we use our experiences to travel through these emotions. Like peeling of skin to reach the crust, it is a process. Each image is placed in a layered manner, enabling the viewer to desquamate through them. I find them to be in parallel to how our thoughts are. Our thoughts an entity that exists independently each. According to the Upanishads, there are seven levels of minds with each layer interconnected to the other. The first layer connects us with the outer world while the deepest layer makes us one with our own Godly Existence. Our mind exists in an infinite space. Here both time and space collide. As mentioned earlier, my works are results of emotions that are captured in certain space which exist in our mind. My works translate this space. In Bachelardian sense this is a personal space where viewers are invited onto the work.
For me creation is a healing process; it forges a connection between mind and body. It is a therapeutic process like meditation which create a space between our uncontrolled thoughts and connect with our inner selves. This process of creation helps me to enter in a state of awareness, it creates a space of inner stillness, it is within this space that my work develops. The final outcome of my works is never predetermined, they evolve alongside. The Yellow field is an outcome of my search for the ‘thinking’, ‘experiencing’, ‘living’ me in ‘me’. When I was going through the making of ‘Yellow field’ I was absolutely unaware of the viewer; how would you look at my Yellow field? You have all the freedom. If it helps you to see ‘you’ in it then I feel more than happy. The force behind making this colour field was a mental state which may not be expressed with mere manipulation of words. I have experienced the ecstasy of joy, happiness and hope. I have also realized the temporality of happiness, when the signs of the ‘unpleasant’ begin to appear at the horizon of life. The moment I realized that I was experiencing a feeling which is in between the binaries of pleasant and unpleasant, the artist in me started the process of giving form to the in between space and feeling. I realized how beautiful yet difficult it is to be in that moment as I am helpless in controlling it and stay there forever.
The unpleasant is due to my desire to hold the pleasant with me for an unending time; only me and the Yellow field know it is impossible. I don’t want to call my desire greed, but I also don’t know what else to call! I imagine my mother, my aunt, my elders and all those who would have experienced this moment or are still experiencing it. I think, I have succeeded in giving form to what I have experienced. If I have fallen short somewhere in shaping this Yellow field, it is made more meaningful by my years of staring at the twilight skies and my own knowledge about me as a woman, as an artist and more than anything a human being. Love in the field of yellow is an extended version of Yellow Field where an Artist have added feeling of Love through the elements of colours – red and green. We heal, we move forward, but still some memories always follows.
The Land of Fantasy – It started with a Dot and by pouring fresh crimson on white surface of Linen. Fantasy is something, that we imagine, which might also involves our favorite person or a place. When one live in a Fantasy world, one does not has to worry about real world. Fantasy world is more pleasant. Here we can do whatever we like to do and we are not answerable to anyone and to the society. Colour is the key element of this work. Fantasy makes people happier although it is an imaginative world. It is like you are dreaming to create a better society through imaginary moments.
The Heather flower Triptych work Landscapes are based on our five body senses – sight, sound, smell, taste and touch. Among these five senses, I have used three senses in this Triptych work. These works are merely an observation of the tones and the softness of earth, the movements and the changing in shape of sand, the smell and the shadow of soil with bright purple flowers of Heather. Here I associate Heather with protection.