Hyderabad artist Sweta Chandra’s solo show opens a window to a surreal space

Artist Sweta Chandra' solo show ’Paradoxical Paradise in Hyderabad opens window to a surreal space. The artist holding a solo show after a decade hopes the paintings have a calming effect on urban dwellers

Sweta Chandra’s solo show, Paradoxical Paradise, is an amalgamation of her diverse experiences. The artist, paying tribute to World Environment Day (June 5), has been nurtured by Nature. She grew up in the Cantonment area near Bowenpally and pursued an MFA from Viswa Bharati University in Santiniketan. Her mother’s fondness for Nature, the flora and fauna has helped her recreate memories through art. Besides Nature, the theme of her 30-plus acrylic paintings revolves around space illusions.

Holding a solo show after a decade, Sweta says, Paradoxical Paradise speaks about our experiences in life. “Things are not what they seem.” The shadows, for instance, look like an object from a distance but appear different when you go near. “The subconscious and illusionistic mind plays with time and space. I also call it paradise, as the beauty we see around can enhance our lives only when we go near it.”

The paintings aim to create a meditative and surreal space for the viewer. Flowers, clouds (a lot of them) and other elements of Nature have a positive effect depicting our want to have a Green holiday. They also showcase the character of ‘camouflaging’ in Nature. “We, human beings, are loud and want to stand out but look at the beings of Nature,” she says adding, “We hear parrots but hardly see them in trees. They blend with the environment and enjoy life, not caring if people notice them.”

Creating a background is the first step of her creative process, and later, the elements or forms are carved out either by ‘silhouetting the background or camouflaging the forms’.

Sweta’s first encounter with illusions was seeing her mother hallucinate. “She had some psychological problems but I didn’t understand much at that age. When I studied surreal art, I could connect with illusions differently.” The memories of listening to her mother, a biology student, speak fondly about birds and plants were etched in her subconscious mind and helped her focus on the cherished experiences in life. Some ‘paintings have a metaphorical meaning too; a canvas depicting a deer’s leap is a ‘hopeful work’ as the leap of a deer represents the leaps we take in our lives to move ahead.

Sweta hopes her paintings have a calming effect on urban dwellers leading a hectic schedule. “They open a window to a desired, meditative and surreal space to engage and help the viewer to live an enriched life.’

Sweta Chandra’s solo show Paradoxical Paradise is on at Chitramayee, State Art Gallery in Madhapur from June 14 to 20