The young 22-year old Master’s student was never considered an artist per se. But in an ‘Ugly Duckling’ turn of events, the younger daughter of artist Laxman Aelay picked up the brush five years ago and never put it down.
“My elder sister was always considered the better artist. I was to be a doctor. But things change and here we are.”
Titled Eyena, the exhibition which premieres today, is a fairly large collection of portraits and drawings. With 65 drawings and about 25 paintings, the 80-odd collection is a reflection of the artist herself. Hence the title.
“I painted the portraits based on my own face. Though there might not be a striking resemblance between the women in the art and me, the face comes from me.”
The project which began two years ago has been a journey of self exploration. As the daughter of an established artist, the comparisons were always quick and, in many cases, unfair.
“When I began painting, I naturally drew from my father. I have grown up under his influence and surrounded by his art; it was inescapable.
Many of my teachers would look at my paintings and say it looked like my father’s while others would judge and criticize it saying, ‘how can the daughter of such an artist paint like this?’ Eventually, I consciously began to draw away from my father and developed my own artistic sense.”
Though necessary, a task nonetheless arduous.
“Of course it was difficult. Initially I would just paint very spontaneously, as and how it flowed. Then, I consciously began going about it and it turned out, I was different from my father. While similarities still remain (how I paint the eyes and nose are said to be very similar), I do not prefer acrylic which is my father’s main medium while I like oil paints, something he doesn’t like. Also he has strong folk influences while I am more of a contemporary- themed artist.”
The portraits painted in shadow effect make up the minority of the exhibition and are done in two sizes: smaller canvases about four square feet and larger eight by twelve feet canvases.
While the smaller ones are splashed in loud hues of red and pink, French shades of purple and green, the larger ones are more subdued in colour, but have a lot more happening there, with multiple faces looking back at the observer.
“I didn’t chose brighter colours for the larger ones because that’ll be too crazy. As an artist it’ll be maddening to work on. Also this is the first time I’m working on an 8x12, so I was a bit hesitant to experiment a lot.”
Aelay also uses hand-crafted paper and magazine cut-outs to give a collage angle to the paintings. The drawings though are another matter altogether.
Done in black ink with a dash of red Chinese ink, they are intricately patterned with various elements, based on the theme of the drawing.
“In the two years it took me to finish my work, there have been a lot of influences. So the drawings tells of harassment, women empowerment, brain drain and a lot of other things. I’m drawn to feminism, so there are quite a few women-centric themes.”
The one thing the drawings and paintings share in common are the use of words. Squeezing in words in the middle of the pattern, pasting text cut-outs from magazines in the paintings, the collection is craftily wordy.
“Words are just another form of expression and I feel the need to use them. Which is why you will also find that my works are titled, unlike most other artists whose works are untitled. I have a lot I’m trying to say through this exhibition.”
Eyena will be on display at the Kalakriti art gallery in Banjara Hills till August 14.
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