Mother-daughter relationship stands for purity and is justifiably sacrosanct. It cannot be weighed or measured; it is endless like bountiful nature. This beautiful treasured relation was eloquently portrayed on canvas by a group of artists, including a specially abled one, at a three-day exhibition “Anya - The Motherhood Lies Within” at Hungarian Information and Culture Centre. The artists took liberty to showcase their emotions and suppressed feelings in myriad forms.
For Sarbani Chatterjee, who hails from West Bengal, it was indeed a proud moment to let Madhubanti, her hearing impaired daughter, come into the limelight. As a protective mother, she sat next to Madhubanti, while she expressed her inner feelings and observations through the medium of paintings. For the first time she came along with her husband to Delhi just to support her daughter to showcase her talent to art lovers in the city.
“Madhubanti is my special child so I am her special mother. She studied in a formal Bengali school and then graduated in arts from Rabindra Bharati University in 2014. She is infatuated with colours and even imagines them. Painting gives her an opportunity to express her feelings. I am always by her side and even wash the brush, at times hold it and mix various colours so that she can be completely devoted in her work. I am indeed heartened by the effort she puts in each painting. Her first portrait which was made in her first year featured me. Even if I am not visible somewhere I feel my presence in every work of hers.”
All artists, except the physically challenged one, are mothers. And they have been chosen by Agantuk, a Kolkata-based organisation. The programme was inaugurated by Dr. Zoltan Wilhelm, Director, Hungarian Information and Cultural Centre.
Delineating the abstract
Hemavathy Guha, who studied at Chennai College of Arts, says: “I am working with theme of space in the outside world and inside female bodies. It is an abstract notion; recycled items like buttons have been used for creating different levels on my canvas. In some work I have used blank spaces of newspapers. I wanted to explore the notion of space. Since creation takes place in women’s body I have used feminine colours like red. Some work I have done with black rice paper. I have created a pattern wherein the light passes through the line to get scattered. Being a woman I can understand complexities of female body.”
Hungary is the place where Amrita Shergil was born and was of Hungarian descent through her mother. “The way she lived, her adventure spirit has been inspiring. We are very proud of her,” adds Hemavathy.
Self-taught artist Sangeeta Kumar Murthy says: “I am mother of two daughters. Without mother, a child cannot fulfil his/her dreams. Whatever we are today is because of our mother. Even my mother supported me.”
Sangeeta Kumar Murthy
For the artist, Earth which sustains human and animal lives, is her mother. “I have worked on Mother Earth as our environment is deteriorating day by day. Concrete jungle in the form of over urbanisation in cities will have a bearing on our planet.”
Sangeeta, who has a hobby of collecting replicas of tortoise, has used them as a metaphor in her acrylic on canvas to signify long life. “I have also depicted tortoise as sign of prosperity. Even in our Vedas, Vastu Shatras and also Feng Shui, anyone whose neck is upside achieves success. I have beautified tortoise with different designs inspired by mythologies. I have done detailed work, adapted miniature styles and showcased designs from Madhubani, Himachali arts and weaved them look aesthetic. On top is Goddess Vasundhara with plant in her arms to save the Earth. We have seven oceans and rainbows colours. So I have showed seven tortoise as they are considered auspicious.”
