Christy Varghese visits Gallery Espace’s dual solo-exhibitions where he meets Shobha Broota and gains a glimpse into the melodious mindset of the artist
Bringing together a selection of canvases created by Shobha Broota over the last two decades and the recent multimedia flatworks and sculptures that speak of Mekhala Bahl’s intense engagement with materials and processes, Gallery Espace set the stage for a broader deliberation on abstract art practices in the world of contemporary Indian art through its simultaneous solo shows at the Centre for Contemporary Art, Bikaner House, New Delhi. The exhibition, which commenced on Saturday, September 4, will be on display till September 14, with Sutra: Shobha Broota’s Explorations Of Thread And Colour housed on the first floor while the Shape Of A Surface – A Solo Exhibition Of Recent Work by Mekhala Bahl occupying all of ground floor.
“By juxtaposing the artworks of these two women artists, with their highly diverse abstract art practices, the Gallery offers a critical view of the historical narrative of abstractionist art practice in the Indian context that has largely been framed by two postulates – the impact of Western artists such as Paul Klee, Wassily Kandinsky and the New York Abstract Expressionists, and the engagement with indigenous philosophies and texts, and propositions and ideas of mysticism, meditation and transcendence, through these exhibitions,” remarked Renu Modi, the founder and director of Gallery Espace.
As we sauntered across the ground floor, examining the works displayed by Bahl for Shape Of A Surface, her third solo exhibition with Gallery Espace and fifth solo show in Delhi, which includes multimedia works made between 2016 to 2021 we can’t help but take note of the artist’s intense engagement with the physical and material processes of printmaking, which seem to be at the core of her show. When we looked her up, we understood that her highly experimental approach – using multiple mediums and bringing together printmaking, painting and drawing – has been the foundation of her practice for more than two decades and it underlies these works too, as she transforms conventionally called ‘flatworks’ or ‘paintings’ into sculptures through the act of layering different materials and utilising multiple methods of mark making. We got our hands on some notes by art historian and the curatorial advisor of the show, Latika Gupta, who expressed, “Shape Of A Surface’ includes three-dimensional objects and these mark a distinctive evolution of Bahl’s oeuvre as an artist. The exhibition also included works that experiment with using photography as a starting point, the surface of which is then layered into a complex abstraction that is as rewarding as it is challenging.”
It was when we were strolling through the ground floor that something ethereal caught our eye. Leading up to the first floor, an intricate crochet was invitingly hung from the banister. And we took the bait without any second thoughts. Knowing that the first floor would house Broota’s works, we had some vague idea of what we were in for but viewing her works, and later talking to the illustrious artist herself, was a lesson which drove home the message that we should learn to experience life with an open mind.
Showcasing over 50 paintings and a large body of over 40 drawings in her first solo in Delhi after a gap of eight years, Sutra features Broota’s canvases created over the last two decades using everyday materials such as wool, thread, plastic and other materials. Broota, who was born in 1943, trained as a classical Indian vocalist before studying fine art, and it’s no wonder that her art ‘aspires to the condition of music’, to borrow the words of Victorian essayist Walter Pater. Like our classical raagas, her canvases have a tranquility and deceptive simplicity.
Her abstract forms allow for meditative reverie untethered to the confines of a narrative, her lines have rhythm and subtle movement, her colours, a rich resonance, and her surfaces a texture that is complex, yet moving. Our eyes take in the warmth emitted by her works, one after the other, and we turn around the corner to bump into the artist herself. Well, she was somewhat occupied tending to someone who referred to herself as Broota’s fan. We cannot help but overhear the septuagenarian talking to the young artist, encouraging her to explore her individuality and different mediums. “Keep discovering, experimenting and growing. Life is all about growth. Don’t worry about whether what you do is right or wrong. Don’t worry about the end-result, because there is no such thing as failure or success. Just keep on striving for growth,” Broota expressed, to the delight of her beaming fan.
And we were hooked, what stories might she have lived through? In a long and celebrated career, Broota has worked in several genres — from the early portraits, to woodcuts and etchings in the ‘70s and ‘80s, to the more recent oil and acrylic paintings, and ‘relief’ works where fabric, thread, silk, or wool – sometimes hand-knitted - is stretched across the canvas to create intricate grids and patterns. Speaking of her works, acclaimed art critic Ranjit Hoskote wrote in his essay, “Depth echoes against depth as the edge between forms is dissolved, and the space of the painting becomes an image of the cosmos. Having traced an itinerary through figurative painting, portraiture from the life, images of birds, as well as a range of media including print-making, dry pastels and oils, Broota works solely with a technique that involves flicking paint from a brush onto the surface of the painting with the fingers; neither brushwork nor spraying come into play.”
When she turned to us, we can sense that she was effortlessly smiling beneath the mask, and we suspect that is her natural disposition. It was a delight speaking with her, especially since she elaborated on our queries with the utmost patience. Even when we posed some questions that seemed silly in retrospect.
We started off by asking her why she changed her medium of expression, with the shift from vocals to the canvas, and pat came the reply, “I wouldn’t say my medium of expression has changed. I was interested in all kinds of creative activities. The desire to know more about oneself is present in all the arts. I was a vocalist because I simply received the opportunity to pursue my interest and I took it without any second thoughts. My heart still sings, its just that my throat cannot really cope with the voice in my head. (laughs, before continuing) I think it is not a good idea to distinguish between the different media of arts, be it the numerous forms of dance, writing, singing or even theatre, for that matter. If someone asks me, I would always recommend them to pursue every opportunity to explore art, and yourself, that comes your way, if possible. Expressing yourself is only natural, why not try and be better at it, with every passing moment? Let’s not forget that we humans are the composite whole of so many things, whatever you experience is embedded within your subconscious. Sure, you might forget some bits, some very important bits, even. But it is extremely important to not stop and crib. Keep exploring.”
Intrigued, we knew we had just scratched the surface, and we had to press on. We quiz her about her style of working, starting off with portraiture and now exploring abstracts, with threadwork. “My style of working emerged from the desire to find my own language, my own identity. After all this time I can say that my work feels like it is a part of me. It is a combination of everything, what I have learned, and unlearned. If I had missed out on even one opportunity that I have availed of in my past, I would have been a different person; hence I am grateful for every stage, and everything I have experienced, in my life,” she remarked softly.
When we wonder how she started with threadwork, she catches us off-guard by retorting, “How do you think one starts painting?” Not quite sure, we respond with the first thing that comes to mind, “Well, we suppose it starts with simply getting hold of some colours and scribbling on a piece of paper...?” And she beamed at us, her eyes lit up in delight, she said, “There you go. As I was exploring various media, I got my hands on some thread and started playing with it and here I am.”
As our conversation branched to matters not limited to art, Broota went on to say definitevely, “If you wish to do something with every ounce of your being, and you act on that thought, you can do anything. But if you have given up on yourself, even if something is handed to you on a platter, nothing will come out of it.”
Her words left us with a sense of inspiration, that seems hard to come by in these uncertain times. If you fancy the idea of being moved by art, do visit Bikaner House before September 14. If you are lucky, you might get to chat with the wise artist as well.