Cities & forests merge into a dreamscape in Poonam Bhatnagar’s solo exhibition

New Delhi, April 8 (IANS) Subtle yet tantalising, the paintings of Shiva, Saraswati playing the veena, a glimpse of Venice, and yesteryear's actor Madhubala with her bewitching smile -- artist Poonam Bhatnagar's solo exhibition in the national capital will encompass all that and more.

Brushed with a delicate mix of colours, Bhatnagar’s 24 paintings under the title ‘Between Dreams’ will be exhibited at the Bikaner House from April 12 to 17.

A trained textile designer, she brings a peculiar style into her work using minute strokes and a delicate palette of colours.

“I call this ‘web cast’ -- inspired by a spider’s web," says Bhatnagar.

Preferring to work on large canvases, the artist feels she has much to say and show.

“That is why most of my works are huge,” she adds.

Preparing for this exhibition for the past two years, her painting of Saraswati is a 6x4 feet canvas showing the goddess playing the veena, while ‘Shiva Shakti’, done on a 4.5x4 feet canvas, has a three-dimensional effect, as the vertical and horizontal geometric lines merge with the squares and waves.

While she has participated in several group shows before, this is her first solo wherein through the series ‘Cityscapes’, she encapsulates her experiences of the sights of London, Venice, Zurich, and Ladakh, among other places.

In ‘Vriksha’, the artist has merged her web design style with normal brush strokes.

Bhatnagar’s ‘Pensive Portrait’ series includes portraits of yesteryear's actors -- Madhubala, Meena Kumari, Suchitra Sen, and Madhabi Mukherjee, done mostly in black and white.

Talking about the web-like design style, the artist points out, “Initially, the lines used to be thicker but now they have become finer, intricate, and ‘closer’. The style has evolved.”

Bhatnagar says the painting ‘Ladakh’ is “completely covered with webcast”, with the fine lines raised, giving it a three-dimensional effect.

“You can feel it. Photos do not really do justice to my paintings,” she adds.

Talking about the artist’s unique style, curator Uma Nair says, “Not texture, but illusion would be the right word to describe her work. Looking at her paintings in the ‘Mythos’ and ‘Cityscapes’ sections from a distance, the multiple layers create a peculiar visual experience.”

The exhibition presented by Masha Art will be inaugurated by noted filmmaker Muzaffar Ali.

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