Monday, 13 March 2023 | Pooja Poddar Marwah
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Pooja Poddar Marwah
The India Art Fair recently concluded in the national Capital, leaving behind stunning displays of digital as well as contemporary art. It explored boundaries of art and innovation, of technology and magic; and weaved myriad forms of design that captured everyone’s attention, albeit in a different way.
Such is the case of life. You and I, for example, can be at the same fair around the same time but I can almost guarantee that there will be a striking polarity on the art forms that capture our individual attention. It is how we are designed. Your current disposition or mindset will be drawn to the piece that suits you most, as will mine. We are two different people, are we not? Then why, when we get drawn into a relationship, does one upmanship arrive? Why don’t we accept that it is perfectly okay to even look at the same painting and have two different views. Wouldn’t that make for an interesting conversation, perhaps?
The one thing that caught my eye, heart and mind was the exhibit on ‘Log Kya Kahenge’ by visual artist and illustrator Mira Felicia Malhotra. Innocently highlighting the oddities and peculiarities of a traditional Indian family, she had made three distinct portraits that depicted conflicts, which often go unseen in traditional family homes. We cover up what we don’t have the courage to face. Irrespective of the gender identity people assume, they do it- simply because of the cliched fear looming large over their heads – log kya kahenge.
Such is the case of life. You and I, for example, can be at the same fair around the same time but I can almost guarantee that there will be a striking polarity on the art forms that capture our individual attention. It is how we are designed. Your current disposition or mindset will be drawn to the piece that suits you most, as will mine. We are two different people, are we not? Then why, when we get drawn into a relationship, does one upmanship arrive?
One does understand that people are people and that everyone is made different. But what really defies logic is that how does one forget basic humaneness? How does one not realise that their word or action can break another, to a point of no return? We preach, we preach and we preach, day after day, for months on end. But in the safe sanctity of our four walls, who do we become? Villains of our own soul, encapsulated amidst our own demons, scared, should someone see our true form.
It wasn’t just an art fair but an alarming sense of awakening. It was about finding the extraordinary in the ordinary, in every and each art form that was displayed. Everyone projected their best. It may or may not be good enough for you. But, what gives you the right to judge anyway?
In all the splash of colours, amidst the cacophony of artificial intelligence and technology, I left with a hopeful soul. A hope that perhaps, we focus more on reaching our zen, irrespective of log kya kahenge!
(The writer is an award winning author and blogger who writes on life, relationships and contemporary living. Views expressed are personal)
