Magical monsoon

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Even though monsoon missed its date with Delhi, art lovers can still enjoy the magic of rains in the rich palette of watercolours created by artists who excel in the medium.

Art Perspective, the newest art gallery in Lado Sarai, New Delhi, has organised “Verve” — an eclectic show on watercolours — to herald the monsoon season.
Watercolour as a medium has largely remained ignored, especially in today’s time of digital and new media. But no one can doubt the skill required to master this difficult medium. The transparency and delicacy of water-soaked colours impart a fresh appeal to a work of art every time it is viewed.
Nineteen artists from across the country have come together to participate in the show to bring alive the moods of the monsoon on their canvas.
Anjani Reddy’s rural images bring to life Indian villages in fine detail. Her female forms are a reminder of the simplicity and beauty that have been lost to the complexities of modern life. Vasudeo Kamath recreates the magic of dohas, abhangs and Marathi poetry by saints like Kabir and Tulsidas and believes that watercolours are the best medium to bring out the naivety of the ancient times. “Watercolour is such a transparent medium that in masterful hands even the smallest nuances and details of whatever one wants to portray can come out beautifully. Unlike oils which take a lot of time to dry and one has to apply several coats to get the desired effect, watercolours give the artist only once chance, hence I feel the output cannot be easily manipulated,” Kamath explains.
Prabal Mallik’s work features a series of three cows in different colours commenting on today’s division of society into the haves, the working class and the have-nots.
Artist Prafull Sawant uses the medium of watercolours to paint the ethereal ghats of the Godavari and the landscapes of the temple town, from which he draws his inspiration.
“Nasik has a rich history, culture and heritage. There are ghats on both sides of the river and everyday hundreds of pilgrims come here to pay their obeisance at the temples. Traces of Hinduism can be found everywhere, be it in the rituals, architecture or way of life of the people. Even simple things like the morning or evening rays of the sun bathing the ghats inspire me to take up my brush,” Sawant says.

The show is on till August 15 and is open for public viewing from 11am to 7pm.