New Delhi, Jan 24 (PTI) In her first solo show in the national capital in 16 years, painter Sujata Bajaj dives into the depths of space, inspired by five years of exploration into images captured by the Hubble
and James Webb Space Telescopes.
"Spacescapes", curated by Tuba Ali, will open at Gallery Romain Rolland at Alliance Francaise de Delhi on January 30.
Translating the enormity of the universe into abstraction, Bajaj creates works that vibrate with elemental energy - radiant bursts of light, drifting nebulae, and cosmic matter in states of formation and dissolution.
“In 2019, I happened to come across a NASA image taken from the Hubble telescope showing the Andromeda galaxy. I connected with the photograph without knowing what it actually was. The seed of Spacescapes was planted.
"I understood that this journey would require the use of new techniques as well as experimentation. Thereafter, I explored other images taken from the James Webb telescope. The next five years were a period of great involvement in this fresh creation. These paintings are my discoveries during this time period," Bajaj said in a statement.
The exhibition deepens "her lifelong dialogue between materiality, intuition, and universal rhythm".
Unfloding as dramatic and uninhibited orchestrations of pigment, the works open up "new emotional and spatial possibilities".
On a preview on January 29, Bajaj will also release "Spacescapes" monograph, published by Gallery Art and Soul, Namtech Fine Art, and Galerie Patrice Trigano.
The book features over 100 full-colour plates and essays that expand the intellectual and cultural lens of the exhibition with contributions by eminent writers and contributors like astrophysicist David Elbaz, director of the Louvre Abu Dhabi Manuel Rabaté, curator Girish Shahane, and textile designer Helena Bajaj Larsen.
The book also features historical reflections and rare personal impressions from eminent artistic voices, including a tribute by M F Husain: “According to me, Sujata is the best colourist that India has.”
The exhibition will come to an end on February 14. PTI MAH MAH RB
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