How ‘The Primacy of 5’ depicts each girl in our world

Exiled princesses, desolate damsels, long-suffering wives — the epics describe them, their plight and the way they ultimately rose above their destiny, making them glorious function fashions for going through adversity. Bengaluru-based artist Jay Varma has modelled his solo debut titled, ‘The Primacy of 5’ on the panchkanyas.

In line with conventional knowledge, reciting the names of the ‘panchkanyas’ dispels sin. For Jay, the ‘panchkanyas’ are manifest in each residence and circumstance, “There are shades of those 5 ladies in each ladies right now and therefore, this exhibition is a tribute to all ladies, it’s a celebration of womanhood,” says the artist.

Artist Jaygopal Varma
| Photograph Credit score: Particular Association

“The concept to color the panchkanyas was half of a bigger, overarching theme through which I used to be planning to seize vital ladies of Indian mythology. I had a chance to execute one piece — Damayanti within the Forest — which obtained me began on this sequence of 5 work,” says the artist, who believes there may be scope for extra canvases as, “there are a lot of ladies in our epics who should be dropped at the fore.”

A fifth technology descendent of the legendary artist, Raja Ravi Varma, Jay says his work shouldn’t be solely homage to his illustrious forefather, but additionally to his great-grandmother who was the final queen of Travancore, and his mom Rukmini Varma, a longtime artist herself.

“My introduction to the epics and my appreciation for them was due to my nice grandmother. On a regular basis, she would sit me down and inform me these tales in nice element to the extent I virtually thought I used to be one of many characters from these tales myself,” Jay reminisces.

He fondly remembers the sturdy ladies in his household who made an influence on his life. “My grandmother was at all times smiling, at all times in a very good temper. She was a strong-willed girl too, who wouldn’t baulk below stress. Equally, my mom was additionally an enormous affect in my adolescence. These sturdy ladies influenced me and nonetheless proceed to take action.”

Executed over the previous one-and-half years, the 24 inches X 30 inches canvases on this sequence have the primary topic taking on many of the focus. “The background for Ahalya got here from my very own creativeness, however for Draupadi who has been depicted in a palace balcony, I relied on references for the marble texture on the pillars and cornice work regardless that the design of these architectural components had been my very own,” says the artist, whose niece posed as Sita, Tara and Mandodari for him.

‘Swarnathamana’ by artist Jaygopal Varma
| Photograph Credit score: Particular Association

Whereas Jay believes figures are the head or epitome of oil portray, he does love to color landscapes, nonetheless lifes and portraits. The exhibition options 13 canvases that embody portraits, in addition to three different work in a half-finished stage accomplished from life, and had been created utilizing oils, graphite and colored pencils.

Jay recounts the story behind an previous Kerala Brahmin family he visited. “Legend has it that Shankaracharya was visiting a poor family and the girl of the home didn’t need to ship him away empty-handed, so she went to the yard and picked a handful of gooseberries for him. Appreciative of her gesture, Shankaracharya chanted a mantra and it started raining golden gooseberries. Since then, that household has by no means been in need.”

Referred to as Swarnathamana (swarna = gold, mana = residence in Malyalam) to at the present time, Jay has captured a portion of that residence’s open courtyard in a canvas of the identical title. “I’ve truly tried to infuse the colored pencil drawing with a golden hue,” he says, hoping his works will give viewers an thought of his oeuvre.

At the moment on show at GalleryG in Bengaluru, the exhibition will be seen on www.galleryg.com or Google’s Arts and Tradition web page below Jaygopal Varma.