New Delhi, Sep 23 From landscapes and peacocks to a host of figures from Indian mythology, artist Poonam Bhatnagar’s ongoing exhibition “Odyssey” explores her artistic journey through memory, travel, relationships, and a deep engagement with mythology and human subjects.
Presented by Khushii Art, the exhibition, which kicked-off on Wednesday at Bikaner House, brings together works that trace Bhatnagar’s evolution from childhood memories and journeys across continents to her fascination with landscapes, cultural imagery and the search for beauty and peace.
It is organised around four thematic strands — ‘Prakriti’, ‘Mayura’, ‘Enlightened one’ and ‘Mythos’ — each opening a different conversation around time, nature, spirituality and cultural memory.
Curator Uma Nair said the canvases are divided into “distinct and definitive themes”, beginning with a panoramic collage that integrates landscapes in abstract moods and relief features, along with a peacock that sets the tone for nature’s rhythms.
“‘Prakriti’ is a collection of her lone landscapes that mirror nature’s finest moods, ‘Mayura’ runs through vignettes of peacocks amidst architectural symbolism of Rajasthan havelis. ‘Enlightened One’ zooms in on Lord Buddha through autumnal and soft hued tropical imagery, while the final and largest room is devoted to characters from Indian mythology,” she added.
The mythological works feature figures including Hanuman, Saraswati, Lord Shiva, Lord Ram, Ganesha and Laxmi.
Each work, according to the organisers, carries its own ethos and celebrates the divine spirit.
A prominent feature of Bhatnagar’s practice is her detailed embellishment of landscape elements. Her technique, which she calls the “webcast technique”, emerged from her training in textiles and her study of a spider’s web.
“The technique uses an intricate, infinity-like netting as the foundation of her works, creating a visual maze across the landscapes and other imagery,” they added.
The show will come to a close on September 28.
(PTI News)
