Unlike her contemporaries who focus on one medium, Rini Dhumal’s works personify the term ‘multimedia’. The 70-year-old pays homage to the spirit and indefatigable strength of women through ceramic, bronze sculptures, drawings, paintings, tapestry and silk in her latest ongoing show. Titled Parallel Wings - The Art of RiniDhumal, the 60 works of the showcase features the central theme of the devi or divinity of women. The art, made over two years, attains a new meaning depending on the medium in which it is created. “Whether it’s tapestry or terracotta, multiple things are happening in various mediums which run parallel to each other,” says Dhumal. “For me, multimedia means using diverse techniques in the language of the medium. The theme underlying all the works remains the same and reflects my philosophy.”
The Vadodara resident, who has always celebrated the image of shakti in her work, is grateful for her upbringing. “I come from a household where many rituals would be held,” she remembers. “Every creative individual reacts to their surroundings. My grandmother was a strong woman. So, I have never felt the need to portray a shy or meek woman, but someone who is dignified with immense power.”
The tapestry or the woven pile rugs, as they are called, were created in Benaras using myriad hues of brown and maroon. Dhumal was clear that they would be different from the colour scheme of her paintings. “The tapestry is rustic and has a serene feel,” she explains. “Serenity has always underlined all my works but now it’s more pronounced. As one grows old, one wants to be meditative and seek solitude.”
As a student of Padma Vibhushan recipient KG Subramanyan, Dhumal had learnt to work in multiple mediums since an early age. Her time in Shantiniketan, West Bengal, taught her how art could be created outside the classroom in the lap of nature. “My mentors KG Subramanyan, Krishna Reddy and Somnath Hore had joie de vivre,” says Dhumal. “They taught me that I shouldn’t restrict myself to painting but explore different mediums and learn print making too. Also, India is diverse country. There is diversity in religion, food, clothing, thinking and this connotation of multiple mediums comes from that too.”
The former professor at M.S. University in Vadodara, has chronicled her works in books such as Drawn to Life: The Sketchbooks of Rini Dhumal and Rooted Landscapes: The Art of Rini Dhumal. She continues the trajectory with her new coffee table book named after her current exhibition which explores the process of her creating these artworks and chronicles her life.
When the septuagenarian is not working, she likes to spend time with her family. “My life is well spent and I do what I want to do,” smiles the doting grandmother. “It doesn’t matter if it’s intellectual or if it’s wrong or right. When I look back at my artistic journey, I feel it has been interesting.”
Parallel Wings - The Art of Rini Dhumal is ongoing at Tao Art Gallery till November 30.
