In what merges together her passion for art and travel,portraits of various smiling Indian women by Delhi-based artist and art curatorPriyanka Banerjee -- created over ten years -- brings out the resilience andspirit of women of the country.
Hailing from the beautiful city of Bokaro in Jharkhand, andhaving quit a corporate career to pursue her long-held dream to create art,Banerjee says she created these smiling portraits as a departure from thesilent struggle that often characterises women's lives.
"Women are the epitome of strength. Their smiling facesde-stress the viewers. Although the rural women enjoy less amenities comparedto their urban counterparts, they know the art of staying happy with theirlimited resources available. Hence, the 'smiling women' form an importantsubject of my art," Banerjee told IANSlife.
The paintings are executed using different mediums likewatercolor on paper, acrylic on canvas, charcoal on paper.
"These portraits have been created over a span of tenyears. Though I had no plan to create such a series, I was fortunate to capturetheir smiles as an intrepid traveller. I captured their smiles through my lensand have eventually transformed them into my artworks," she adds.
As an avid traveller, Banerjee has also found inspiration inthe hills and biodiversity of Nainital, Mukteshwar, and Ranikhet whereeverything from tall and sturdy coniferous trees like pines, oaks, cedar,deodars; the ancient and beautiful Mukteshwar temple situated atop amidst thescenic splendor; the occasional giggles of the children echoing in the woods;the serpentine roads of the hills; the majestic royal Bengal tiger basking inglory of its natural habitat in the Jim Corbett; the spotted deer and the OldBritish style bungalows - have become her muse.
"Women have made their presence felt in almost allspheres of life and the Indian culture attaches great importance to them.However, generally women all over the world (including India) speak the samelanguage of 'silence' as they carry on with lives which are very often full ofstruggle. Hence, the portraits of smiling women symbolise positivity in timesof despair. 'A 'smile' is synonymous with a happy and de-stressful life. As Imake portraits of smiling women, I have tried to bring out the beauty inthem," she concludes.
