11.06.2024
“Samanvaya” exhibition at the Roerich Trust
The series of paintings presented at the exhibition by Alka Bhrushundi is entitled "Yatrik" ("Traveller"). It is an introspective journey into the depths of the self, exploring the intricacies of thoughts and experiences. It is a complex and intricate journey from chaos to inner harmony, to wholeness, to the joy of self-discovery. The paintings are created by the artist in an abstract style. They represent a journey beyond the forms and colours of everyday life, offering a completely different visual experience. The paintings are characterised by their vibrant colours, intricate patterns and a unique rhythm that intertwines various worlds and realities. While all entities within our physical reality manifest in a discernible manner, our infinite mind remains intangible. It is a challenging endeavour to capture the essence of the mind, soul or spirit on canvas in familiar forms. Nevertheless, Alka Bhrushundi attempts to portray the trajectory of her mind, its myriad aspects, including the undulating currents of thoughts, the intricate tapestry of premonitions, the ebbs and flows of desires, the tumultuous swells of feelings and passions. The paintings illustrate the artist's journey through the stages of knowledge associated with traditional systems of yoga, Ayurveda, and Reiki, as well as her personal understanding of the divine and the principles governing spiritual growth.
The artists employ a variety of stylistic approaches and utilise diverse visual techniques in their paintings. The nature of the authors' work differs; nevertheless, their works are harmoniously woven into a colourful unison, which calls upon the viewer to engage with the Beautiful, to achieve harmony with oneself and the surrounding world, and to embark upon a search for the Divine.
Sumitra Ahlawat's oeuvre makes reference to the ancient forms of Indian culture. It is therefore unsurprising that many of her works are monumental, given that the objects depicted in them are also of a similar scale. From her canvases, the beauties of ancient India are presented to us, imbued with life by the artist's brush and evoking a sense of having descended from the walls of ancient temples. These are sculptures in which one static form is imbued with life by another, seemingly static form. The artist conveys a vividness in her portrayals of jewelry, clothing, and poses that engenders the impression among viewers that they are beholding contemporaries, rather than the frozen images of demigoddesses that have endured for millennia. Additionally, her work evinces allusions to the Ajanta paintings and the classical women's portraits by Raja Ravi Varma.
The world depicted in Alka Singh's paintings is markedly distinct from the conventional visual landscape. The primary focus of her oeuvre is the harmonious and aesthetic qualities of the natural world, encompassing its subtle rhythms, forms, and colours. From the realm of forms, the artist appears to select the most exquisite elements to capture their spontaneity, grace, and intrinsic dynamics through the medium of oil painting, wherein the subject is frozen in time. Additionally, it can be perceived as a journey, an endeavour to attain inner harmony through the pursuit of external, aesthetically pleasing forms.
On 11 June, the International Roerich Memorial Trust hosted the inauguration of a joint exhibition of works by four Indian artists in its Exhibition Hall. The participating artists were Alka Bhrushundi (Delhi), Alka Singh (Greater Noida), Sumitra Ahlawat (Delhi) and Sunita Rathi (Noida). The exhibition, titled 'Samanvaya', which roughly translates as 'Harmony' in Hindi, was inaugurated by Mrs Larisa Surgina, the Russian Curator of the IRMT and an employee of the ICR (Moscow), and her colleague, Indian Curator Mr Suresh Kumar Nadda, who were present at the event as guests of honour.
Sunita Rathi's oeuvre is characterised by a graphic and realistic style, featuring clear lines, a distinctive rhythm, spatial filling and elegance. The exhibition includes a series of classical still lifes by the artist, as well as a collection of works devoted to the depiction of flowers and landscapes. The artist works in watercolour and graphics. Despite the monochromatic nature of her graphic works, they are imbued with a sense of luminosity and dynamism. The use of watercolour allows for a unique ability to convey mood through the interplay of tones and composition. Additionally, the artist addresses the theme of Indian architecture, depicting sculptures of Indian temples in a state of unfinished movement. In contrast, Sumitra Ahlawat's works imbue the sculptures with a sense of life, evoking a sense of movement and energy. Conversely, Sunita Rathi's paintings portray sculptures that appear to bear the weight of millennia, their intricate details, textures, and shades evoking a sense of history and legend. These sculptures seem to have witnessed events from bygone eras, their frozen gaze bearing witness to the unfolding of legendary tales.
The works of the four artists are unified by a single, harmonious concept, which may be described as "samanvaya," a soulful consonance. The artists address Indian culture, both its contemporary manifestations and its historical legacy, as well as the human soul and its various expressions. Their work is an endeavour to achieve a state of consonance with the collective soul of humanity and the world at large. This is not merely a matter of consonance; it is also a unique path of harmony and self-discovery. This path manifests itself in various forms, styles, and colour tones, yet it ultimately leads to the same destination: the Beauty.
