As the second segment of Gyaan Adab’s series of programmes revealing the world of woman through cross-generation expression, painter-poet Swati Namjoshi opened her exhibition with work in pen and ink on paper, acrylic on canvas and oil on canvas, exploring her feelings, perceptions and view of life as a woman.
Swati has studied dance, animation, painting and creative writing. But she doesn’t see herself as a dancer, animator, painter, writer or a poet. She sees herself as a ‘story-teller’. She writes to communicate, and the poems she writes inspire her to paint, thus making the paintings an extended conversations of her poems. Her work she says, is an open dialogue with the reader and viewer.
At the opening event she read a selection of her poems brilliantly counter-foiled by singer Mamta Padhy. To each poem that Swati read, Mamata responded with a melodious Hindi song. After this dialogue of sorts, the audience was invited to view the exhibition. The exhibition was inaugurated by Mrs. Nasima Merchant and Mrs. Mohini Khot.
Her art, striking and engaging with its sensitive treatment of colour and line and its vibrant expressiveness reached out and engaged the viewer. Appearing alongside her art were her poems, rich with metaphoric nuances and savage simplicity.
The evening concluded in a dialogue with Swati hosted by Susan Bullogh Khare the curator of the exhibition. Swati spoke about her work, the process and her inspirations.
The exhibition will continue till March 22, 2014.
