An art exhibition showcasing the life of Radha, a Hindu deity who was Lord Krishna’s consort according to mythology, will be held for two days, 29 and 30 March in New Delhi.
The exhibition, titled ‘Radha’ is divided into three distinct themes – Indian Inspired, Abstract and Contemporary.
The artworks to be displayed at the exhibition are by Radhika Gupta, an Oxford University alumni whose travels around the world brought her in close contact with cultures that helped her experience new ideas and influences.
Commenting on Indian Inspired theme, Radhika said that she feels a deep connection with Radha and in “her search for true love and meaning, challenging societal obligations and morality in doing so”.
Radhika said that she was drawn to images of Radha Krishna drawn in the Pichhwai and Pahari styles especially during her stay in New York, where she developed a “sense of nostalgia and a greater appreciation for my Indian roots”.
“Pretty soon, the iconic figures had travelled from the paintings into my psyche — filling me with vivid dreams. I feel Radha could very well be a woman of today – fearless in the pursuit of what sets her heart on fire,” she said, adding that her paintings portray Radha as an unconventional and multifaceted symbol of devotion, love, and change.
The second part of the show presents her abstract works derived from “personal fears, anxieties, and confessions” as well as her real or imaginary “eruptions of the hidden chaos underlying my experience of everyday reality”.
The Contemporary collection, Radhika said, presents the more “playfully rebellious side” of her personality.
Radhika, who worked with the United Nations at The Hague, said that most of her paintings begin with a colour in mind and progresses on the canvas guided only by her gut and instincts before the “real work”.
“There is always a struggle before the resolution but it is in the act of painting that the narrative emerges and perhaps even some meaning from this mysterious place,” she said.
The artist said that she works with a multitude of styles and employing a variety of methods.
“I’ve always loved Surrealism, Dada and Pop, so I just follow my interests and focus on them. I like to play with ideas of taste, pleasure, celebrity, and commerce,” said Radhika, who holds a double Bachelor in Law and Economics, and a Masters in Law (BC.L.) from the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom.
This is Radhika’s second solo art exhibition. Her previous exhibition was held in September 2017 in support of Women and Child Welfare.
She began practicing in the Supreme Court upon her return to India and also specialised in International Arbitration at a leading law firm in New Delhi.
The exhibition will be held at the Shriram Hall of PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry from 6 pm to 9 pm on Friday, 29 March, and from 10.30 am till the end of the day on Saturday, 30 March.
Proceeds of the exhibition will go to war widows. The exhibition will also be held at New York and Norway’s Oslo and Bergen cities.