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Saturday, Dec 02, 2006
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Celebrating women on canvas

Madhur Tankha

"WOMEN'S VERSION": A work by Sheela Khubchandani

NEW DELHI: Delhi-based artist Sheela Khubchandani has depicted the various facets of women on canvas in her ongoing exhibition at Lalit Kala Akademi here.

Titled "Women's Version", the exhibition of Sheela's recent paintings in acrylic is on till this coming Monday. Sheela, who made a mark for herself in the world of creativity way back in 1977, says: "I have depicted various moods -- happiness as well as sadness -- of women. In fact, the paintings are juxtaposing modernity with traditionalism."

The artist has always treated "kite" in her works as a favourable form. Using the kite as a metaphorical object, Sheela has this time drawn various figures of women to highlight the complexities and incongruities of women.

Stating that the kite signifies freedom and liberty for women, she says: "Women like the string cannot go beyond the norms set by society, thereby restraining their flight."

Besides showing an undercurrent of emotion, sensuality and compassion in women as well as an introspection of the self, Sheela's latest series highlights "feminine desires".

Born in Delhi in 1954, Sheela did her graduation from the College of Art. Her first solo show of etching and lithographs was mounted at Rabindra Bhavan in the Capital.

Over the years she has also done solo shows in drawings and acrylic paintings in various art galleries of the Capital. Her collections have been displayed at the All-India Fine Arts and Crafts Society, National Gallery of Modern Art and Lalit Kala Akademi.

Though Sheela's works have been consistently figurative, they manage to go beyond the mundane.

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