Face Value

The first thing that hits you about Ananya Banerjee8217;s works is the recurrence of a calm, almost stoic serenity reflected in the faces that appear in most of her canvasses.

Ananya Banerjee8217;s paintings talk about hope in these days of nightmares

The first thing that hits you about Ananya Banerjee8217;s works is the recurrence of a calm, almost stoic serenity reflected in the faces that appear in most of her canvasses. 8220;My work is about the quest for inner peace, so most of the faces in my works wear a placid expression,8221; says the Mumbai-based artist who showcased her latest works at an exhibition held at the Chitrakoot Art Gallery. Banerjee8217;s preoccupation with the human visage stems from her belief that it8217;s the face which is the most moving testimony of inner peace. 8220;If your heart runs into rough waters, it8217;s difficult to maintain the kind of calm I have depicted in my paintings. In fact, I have tried to paint such an ideal tranquil state through my faces,8221; adds Banerjee.

So, there8217;s a series of paintings which show two human faces with an identical feeling of peace reflecting off them. While the recurrence of similar lines and forms might seem a little tenuous, the smart play of colours livens up each canvas. So, if there8217;s one resplendent in deep, regal blue another plays around with shades of green. 8220;I usually work with oil on canvas. For certain works I have used stencils and imprints of forms,8221; says Banerjee. So, amid the medley of greens, warm reds, blues and sea greens, her works register an abundance of metallic hues like gold, silver and copper.

8220;This is exactly not a perfect timing to hold an art exhibition. The global recession has most definitely affected the art mart, especially for artists like me. In India, people choose to buy art when they have already acquired everything else,8221; says Banerjee. However, it8217;s not returns that she had been looking at. 8220;I got to meet several renowned painters I have heard about. Their opinion about my works and encouragement was what I was looking for,8221; she signs off.