The Hindu : New Delhi News : Some dreams brought to life

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Thursday, Apr 12, 2007
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New Delhi

Some dreams brought to life

Madhur Tankha

"Dreamscapes" comes calling

NEW DELHI: Gurgaon-based artist Poorna Rajpal has tried to interpret her own dreams by producing a series of charcoal works that will be displayed at a four-day exhibition opening at Travancore Art Gallery here this Saturday.

First solo show

Titled "Dreamscapes", this is Poorna's first solo show comprising charcoal works on canvas. Inspired by visual images that appear in her dreams, the artist will exhibit all large format works at the upcoming exhibition to illustrate her myriad emotions and a deep understanding of her innermost thoughts.

Poorna has chosen charcoal as a medium to convey her dreams because she feels it has an easy flow and yields an amazing texture. "There is also a preconceived notion that charcoal being dark in colour is used by artists to show negative and scary things. But this is simply not the case."

The works highlight unfolding of emotions and thoughts. The works show puzzling and jumbled images that appear in her dreams. "On waking up, dreams may appear to be trivial, unconnected, unreasonable and unacceptable. But in dreams, a river of spoons does not seem strange at all. Nor does boxes falling from clouds. Dreams are personal spaces where one transcends all human concepts and understanding. These painting do not look for logic in them," says Poorna.

All the works at the show will be untitled as the artist wants the discerning art lovers to have the freedom to make their own interpretation about her works. "I do not want art connoisseurs to confine their way of thinking."

An artist with a Bachelor's degree in Fine Art, Poorna learnt painting and drawing from the Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts (NAFA) in Singapore.

Besides creating paintings that are a mélange of beauty and finesse, she has also dabbled in experimental works.

Several shows

Poorna has participated in several shows across the country and abroad, successfully curated prestigious projects, held camps and workshops.

Her interest in painting started right from her school days at the Shri Ram School. She attributes her success as an artist to her ability to transform the complexities of life into harmonies in creative and simple forms.

In 2004, Poorna participated in the Space Annual Art Exhibition at the Lalit Kala Akademi gallery in New Delhi.

The same year, she took part in the exhibition "Off the 19th Milestone" at Hopetown Girls' School in Dehra Dun. In 2006, Poorna took part in a group exhibition titled "Blank" in Singapore.

At the same venue, she also participated in the exhibition titled "Touch Wood I'm Not Superstitious!"

The artist had also participated in a tsunami relief programme in New Delhi to collect funds for rehabilitation of the victims of the terrible tragedy.

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