Structure stricture?

“The manmade environment we live in attracts you to move to the city with dreams in your head. However,once you are there you experience nature differently. The sun is no longer a source of light,rain is not welcome in the city where it turns the ground to slush and we move further away from ourselves with each high-rise,” says Mehra,who moved to Mumbai from Himachal,after marrying cinematographer Jethu Mehra.

This body of work is born of personal angst,experienced with the builder lobby that arm twisted people from their old flats by using goons. “We were the only ones who reported the issue and got a compensation of moving to another flat while they tore the old building down. There is however another side to this move,” says Mehra,whose temporary flat has her staying on the 18th floor. “Suddenly I saw the city in a different,almost spiritual way. I was far removed from its squalor and noise,everything looked like a child’s toy,” she says.

“Earlier my life was zoomed in and I had more human figures because I saw the plight of people at eye-level. Now I have more space to contemplate,” says the artist who has adequately portrayed the aerial view. Mehra comments that Shimla is no longer what it used to be “trees are reduced to stumps,” and in Delhi too,there is a crunching of space.

“However you survive as you must,plant trees on the fringes or roads and birds make their homes in it. I always wonder why we no longer build prettier cities. It need not be a negative experience since I too have opted to be in the city I am making the best of it,” Mehra laughs,her intention is to continue with this series in a collage and smaller studies of plants and flowers on paper in a small format.

The show opens at Gallery Espace,New Friends Colony from February 19. Till March 6
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