Divine Interventions

Nirmal Vijay Jangli's art is borne out of her meditative phases and her devout nature

Nirmal Vijay Jangli’s art is borne out of her meditative phases and her devout nature

In the forty-year period that Nirmal Vijay Jangli was a teacher,she managed to nurse a painting habit. A watercolour specialist,she completed a GD in Art,before her career and family consumed her energies,pushing her childhood penchant towards art to the back burner. But once retirement dawned,she happily indulged in painting again,and over the years has traveled across Pune,Bengaluru,Nashik,Solapur and Mumbai (Jehangir Art Gallery and Bombay Art Society),participating in group shows. Jangli’s first solo show is currently underway at Darpan Art Gallery,Senapati Bapat road,and is titled ‘Atma Avishkar’. The close to 60 pieces of works are sublime reflections on the divine. From the earliest days,I have been very devout, she says. I would immerse myself in sadhana,in dhyan,and then paint what I saw in my mind as a result. What I wanted to show was that every atom,every molecule in nature has the face of God.

The exhibition is dominated by mostly landscape pieces painted with the lightest tints of green,blue and yellow. The frames radiate the peace that would have followed Jangli’s meditative phases. So there are some pieces which show a canopy of trees silhouetted against twilight; there is a serene picture of a beach,with the sky matching the azureness of the sea; and another is a snow-clad mountain peak. Her various travels have provided her subjects galore. We would travel to Nepal,the Andaman islands,Kashmir,Kulu-Manali,and many such places. Everywhere,I would carry my art equipment; I would sit there and paint if time would permit,or I would take photographs and paint them later, she says.

Jangli has a decided bent towards watercolours,but often uses poster colours,acrylic paints and oils as well. When I paint a scene,what I try to replicate is not just how it looked,but how I felt when I looked at it. Often while traveling by road,my husband would take tea breaks,and I would sit and quickly paint a landscape, she grins.

(Atma Avishkar will be up at Darpan Art Gallery,till May 1,between 11 am and 8 pm)

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