When Samira Akbari talks about Indian art forms, there is a certain passion in her voice. “It’s simply fascinating. The ethereal beauty of ancient Indian sculptures and temple erotica never cease to amaze me,” says Samira, an Iranian student, who completed her Bachelors in Fine Arts from Andhra University this year.
It was the rich cultural ethos of India and its art forms that attracted Samira to come all the way from Iran to learn more about the Eastern art forms. An architecture student of Iran, she had always been drawn to the traditional forms of art and architecture even during her course in Iran.
Specialising in sculptures, Samira has displayed some of her selected works at the ongoing exhibition ‘Confluences’ at the Department of Fine Arts, Andhra University.
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Her installation of colourful bangles at the entrance of the exhibition underlines her strong connection with traditions and culture. “There are many colours in India. It oozes out in every aspect of life here — be it in art forms, simple traditional attires like the sari or these bangles. The installation is my impression of the colours of India,” she says.
Talking about the art forms of Iran, Samira says that in Iran, it is the contemporary and modern art scene that is more vibrant. “But, I find the traditional art forms to be deeper. There is an eternal beauty to it and South India has some of the most renowned artists,” she adds. Comparing Iran’s restrained creative expression to Indian art, she says: “The art and culture tradition in eastern and southern India are much more open and free. It is this freedom of ideas that pulled me towards this region.” At the exhibition, she has exhibited a nude sculpture titled ‘Virgin on the Floor’.
“Before coming to Andhra University, I did a lot of research and came to know that some of the best known Indian artists are from here,” she says. After fours years of her stay in Visakhapatnam, she has fallen in love with the city for more reasons than one.
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