“A work of art which did not begin in emotion is not art.”
— Paul Cezanne
Art Houz played host to two superb solo shows within a span of two weeks. Though the themes of both the artists were different, they were united in their ‘creativity’. In a first, Mysuru-based artist Shweta Yi showcased her new collection titled Journey to Mandala. According to her, the Mandala is a spiritual and ritualistic symbol in Hinduism and Buddhism representing the Universe as a whole. In common usage, a “mandala” has become a generic term for any diagram, chart or geometric pattern that represents the cosmos, metaphysically or symbolically. She feels the mandala can be represented in a visual form by showing the core essence of the Vajrayana teachings. Some of her paintings have elements from the Vajrayana. She elaborates, “The mind is a microcosm representing various divine powers at work in the universe. The mandala represents the nature of the pure land and enlightened mind.’’
Sagar Dandoti
The artist claims that the series evoked a sense of contentment and peace in her life, and by keenly following the ideologies of the Buddha, she has reinvented the ‘Mandala’ in her own unique manner. Her work takes inspiration from the various Thangka paintings and also some of her works show a strong affinity to a certain Seema Kohli, who has often been lauded for her intricate work. Shweta intends to keep exploring the Mandala in more unique ways. The other show was of Sagar Dhandoti which explore the raging issue of water and how it has impacted our lives, politically and physically. Sagar Dandoti hails from the small town of Gulbarga. Sagar’s work shed light on how water is becoming a rare resource as days pass, thanks to Mankind’s over dependence on it. According to him, water has become an increasingly important ingredient in the development of all countries. Not only is safe drinking water essential for our well-being, but water is also a primary requisite for further agricultural, industrial and ener
gy-related developments. Based on existing studies, four major water problems facing the world today are identified by the artist. These are the provision of safe drinking water; water requirements for further agricultural, hydroelectric and industrial developments. Through his current series, Sagar presents his unique canvas which focuses on how to deal with the contemporary concerns regarding water (cloud) at both the thematic and structural level. The simplified composition of these works explore mundane urban problems concerning us. They are reflections of how he has observed the reality of the lack of water, and how it directly leads to an inactive life, influenced by geographic, social-economic backgrounds. Sagar Dhandoti’s works pose several questions about our efforts to preserve it and how rapid urbanisation is affecting the water levels. “Food for thought” indeed when the state is trying to grapple with the imminent scarcity of water.
— The writer is an art expert and curator.
