Thought Patterns

Twenty-two-year-old Hemangini Maharaul and 20-year-old Shruti Suttatti are budding artists who have a few details in common. They both are currently employed at Ark Art & Frames,Koregaon Park,where they help in deciding what art is picked up for display. They both are students of fine arts at the Fashion Art Design (FAD) International institute. Together they are set to present their mix media collections for the first time at Ark on March 31 and April 1. Maharaul’s works are titled under ‘Game’,while Suttatti has chosen to call her collection,’Rhythm’. Both have ascribed their works to sweeping broad themes – the former is a statement on politics and individuality using the game of chess as a metaphor; while the latter is a sprightly collection based on the idea of rhythm.

Maharaul’s exhibits will include paintings,photographs and installation art. “I relate chess to life. Because chess is a very political game,my works will also have a political side to them,” she explains. The 15 display items will support each other to form one narrative. The pen and acyclic on paper exhibits will show a chess board and its pieces,while the photographs will include that of the Parliament building taken on January 26. “It’s an evening shot,with flickering lights showing just the form of the building,while the background is dark,” says she. Another photograph shows the silhouette of a building under construction,which she uses as a symbol to state that everyone can construct a life as one wishes to. “Through these symbols I want to show that we are all dependent on each other,but we still are individuals who can build our own lives,” says Maharaul.

Suttatti’s imagery on the other hand is more abstract and colour-drenched. Her focus in this collection is on finding rhythm in the form of biological cells. The eight pieces of work made with charcoal,soft pastels,ink and acrylic try to represent the fluidity of cellular structures. “I studied a few different kinds of cells; some have bubble-like shapes in them,some have negative spaces. My inspirations are cells,and my paintings are all very bright and full of life,” she says.

(Game – Game=Life & Life=Politics,and Rhythm – A visual beat,will be on display at Ark Art Gallery from March 31 to April 1,from 11:00am to 8 pm)