ARTS Exploration, experimentation, education

“Art is an extension of my self, encompassing all my life’s experiences, the beauty as I see it, and my soul search,” explains artist Veena Rao, in a chat with YourStory. The coronavirus onslaught has been a tough time for artists, with its shock effect on society and closure of art galleries. “In such a testing time, I have had my share of struggle to find mental space for artwork. My artwork has given me renewed hope and has been there as a true soulmate,” Veena adds. Describing her art style, Veena says she has an obsession towards symmetry. “However, it is the asymmetry that enhances its beauty and there is a continuum between them. This is the central theme of my style,” she explains. Her art is like a kaleidoscope that tries to showcase this interplay using geometrical objects and shades of black. Veena began her artistic journey five years ago, and her 2020 exhibition is her first show. “I look forward to many more in coming years,” she enthuses. She also wants to work with children, especially in rural areas, and introduce art as a mode of expression. As trends in the art movement in India, she sees art as being more inclusive. “Art has not fully leveraged the technology advancement in allied fields,” she adds.   “Success of my art is its ability to kindle interest or awaken nascent or abandoned passion in audiences,” Veena explains. At her art show, many housewives walked up to her to say that they would like to re-start their artwork. For the KCP exhibition, Veena worked on concepts using digital tools, with themes inspired from nature and wildlife. Her artworks were priced from Rs 2,500 to Rs 5,000. “There is no better price than to see my art being part of someone’s home. So, I would mostly leave it to the buyer to decide the price of my art. Of course, I do want to keep it affordable,” she adds. She is working on more projects using digital tools and mixed media. “I continue to focus on ‘symmetry in asymmetry’ to portray myriads of patterns inspired from ‘Earth from above’ and the cosmos,” Veena adds. She says she was pleased with the reception she received at the exhibition. “I did get a lot of positive feedback, especially about the style of my art. Many remarked that it was different and interesting. A couple from Scotland told me that my artwork reminded them of an art show of Bridget Riley they attended in London last year,” Veena proudly says.

Read more at: https://yourstory.com/2020/06/exploration-experimentation-education-artist-creativity