The beauty of the river Ganges defines the charm of India, for Sonali Durga Chaudhari has played an inspiration for her artwork. She attempts to bring a piece of her childhood memories and bond with the river in Rishikesh on canvas that she visited often in her childhood days.
With a strong inclination towards water and mountains, the artist brings to life the enigmatic elements of nature like the Ganges and the Himalayas. Her painting 'Waters of Life' has a series of golden rivers flowing to the shore. Each painting is meant to resonate with the human spirit of fighting the adversities — from bondage to freedom, darkness to light and from the depths of despair to the pinnacle of bliss.
Sonali recently showcased her art work at a week-long exhibition at Jehangir Art Gallery.
Artist Sonali Durga Chaudhari |
“Water is a very powerful element. It gives life, it can take life too in its ferocious form. I find the river Ganges both inspiring and healing at the same time,” says Sonali. “For me, pure bliss means being one with the universal consciousness or the supreme energy which pervades this entire universe. Like the mighty Ganges, I flow through life, through everything it has to offer,” she continues.
Sonali draws inspiration from a myriad of influences, ranging from nature, philosophy, travel, and her maternal grandmother. Moreover, she finds eminent painter Amrita Sher-Gil's artwork inspiring. With her latest artwork, Sonali experiments with texture and colour on canvas. For instance, she uses so much red and bright gold in her acrylics to reveal her vivid imagination of the river and the shores the mighty river body meets. "All because I love the feel of thick paint on my hands! People often see my paintings and ask if I have used real gold but it's only acrylic paint used in a certain way.”
