Born in a family celebrating art and culture, Poonam Bevli Sahi brings back her childhood memories through a painting exhibition titled, life is a circus, which connects her early life to a circus. By Unnati Joshi
Through lyrical metaphors inspired by the circus and everything extraordinary and unusual that surrounds its characters, Poonam Bevli Sahi comments on life with her exhibition, life is a circus, while juxtaposing the mundane with wonder.
“My father fell ill and he was hospialised for almost 14 months. So while he was in hospital, I used to come back from there and to release my stress, I started sketching. These are really free flowing sketches as there is my dad and my children in it and therefore my mother has come to light the lamp on the behalf of my dad” she tells us as her mother lights the lamp.
She plays with textures and whimsical washes, layering hues with a weightlessness of touch and mood; her strokes sometimes applied with haste, sometimes with gentle attention. A monotone palette with intuitively enfolding depth of tone reveals the blending of light and shade.
“Circus is slowly becoming a thing of the past. These sketches are my way of documenting the delights of a circus and connecting with my childhood. The drawings are experimental and not over-thought or laboured. It’s a theme that to my knowledge has not been explored to any great extent and I really enjoyed myself in the process,” she says.
An erudite and sensitive artist, her vibrant personality belies a deeply introspective and sensitive creator. The style and content of her painting holds a universal appeal in today’s chaotic world with exotic and even muted hues.
Colours and contours are her forte and used with neither doubt nor certainty, and display an engaging strength that accounts for the direction in which the artist seems to be moving.
Her work reflects that of the artist as one who bears testimony to private moorings. Her background in graphic design helps Poonam with her compositions, none of which carry the laboured look of a struggle with plot and scheme.
“My family was always interested in art and culture. My mother was a hobby artist. I always participated and won prizes in the various art competitions as a child. My childhood memory was MF Hussain doing the sets of a play that I was acting in during Durga Puja while we were rehearsing. I must have been about nine at the time. It left a wonderful impact on my life,” shares Poonam.
Jubilation exudes from the body language of one character, an acrobat delighted at union with her lover, flying through space and time. The everyday melancholia of life flashes mildly in the expression of another. A poised fire-eater devours flames of light, unabashed by her confidence and glory.
These artworks allow you to enter another realm, a parallel universe you discover almost by accident, like finding an old photograph of yourself tucked away in a book. Wrought with nostalgia and details that resonate old world charm, Poonam captures forgotten emotions like the playfulness of childhood that only such innocence can afford.
“I derive my inspiration from life, my experiences and my emotional states. My father has been in and out of hospitals due to extremely poor health. I felt the need to create some happiness for myself as a release from a very stressful situation. This series provided me the succour that I desperately needed. Most often I work on impulses. Ideas storm my brain. I sketch them and slowly start executing them over a period of time. Working in the visual medium, visions are a natural process,” she explains.
Poonam has been painting professionally for several years to critical acclaim. She has held several exhibitions both in India and abroad, with her paintings forming a part of several private collections around the world.
“I see myself as a story teller, but with a difference. The story I tell, unravels in different ways for every viewer.
It means something to me but may be something entirely different to another person. My job is over once I finish my painting. It is left to the viewer to interpret it,” she concludes.
The ongoing exhibition at IIC Annexe concludes on March 8.
Photo: Pankaj Kumar