Amid the coronavirus scare across the globe, city based Madhubani painting artist Shalini Karn (27) is using her art form to depict its impact on humans as well as nature.
“I made the painting in two days and completed it on April 2. I was actually involved in making something else but on constantly hearing about the pandemic, I could not concentrate on it. That was when I thought of making this to show what really is happening in India. It also shows how during this crisis humans are divided by class,” said the artist.
While on the top left hand side, it depicts the commendable work of the corona warriors- doctors, nurses, policemen and media personnel. In the bottom corner it shows people watching Ramand Sagar’s Ramayan being aired on Doordarshan during the lockdown.
The right hand side of the painting shows migrant labourers walking for miles to reach the safety of their homes. It also shows the shocking incident where they were sprayed with disinfectants in Uttar Pradesh.
While the virus has severely affected mankind, the centre of the picture highlights its positive impact on Mother Nature. It shows how due to lack of tourists owing to the lockdown thousands of olive ridley turtles have flocked to the shores in Odisha to lay eggs. With no cars out on the roads to cause any pollution, numerous birds can also be seen in the clear blue skies.
“I have tried to portray the different faces of Corona through my painting. While the faces on the left and right show its scary and negative side, the one in the centre shows how its affect on nature without human interference. Made on handmade paper, the acrylic colours mostly used in this creation are grey, black, red and green which not only have a significance but also represent the present day situation,” added Shaalini.
Grey colour which represents sadness and sorrow has been used to portray the tireless efforts of the Corona warriors and also the plight of the migrant labourers. With humans locked in their houses, nature has been shown using shades of green and blue with a hint of other colours. The red faces of Corona on either side depict danger.
Shalini Karn is a mithila artist from Madhubani, Bihar and is now settled in Ranchi. In 2013 she got a scholarship from the Ministry of Culture for folk and indigenous work. In 2019 she also displayed her work at an international folk art market in Mexico City.