Page 16 - Anjolie Ela Menon - Inner Vision

Indian artists would later go on to experiment with artist’s talents as a colourist and her skill for ‘Sacred Prism II’. He is known to have said about Ganesh; Yashoda-Krishna, Jesus-Mary, etc. The
kitsch, inspired by this very exhibition, taking the blending Western techniques with Eastern her work - “I shall always cherish the creative place of the Divine Mother has always been
genre forward. inspirations. In ‘Sacred Prism I’ and ‘Sacred Prism process I shared with Anjolie. She possesses, apart important throughout history and it’s doubly
II’, exhibited in the 1990s, the glass sculptures from her tremendous talent, a humility and purity important in the context of what’s happening
“I have tried to demolish the barriers between high featured an infant Jesus, a young Krishna and of intent that I could relate with. I am deeply today in India. There’s a dichotomy in the baffling
and low art by engaging with the visual matrix of several iterations of Lord Ganesha. These thankful for this project which allowed me to events that have taken place in the recent past. On
our own times. The ubiquitous religious images sculptures would be created in splendid jewel explore further the spirituality in arts and the art in one hand we are the country that worships the
available in the local bazaar or the bizarre tones, shaped in flowing shapes emulating lava. prayers." Devi the most, whether it is Saraswati, Durga or
exaggerations in both content and style seen in The added three-dimensional aspect allowed by Mary; yet look at the way women are being treated
film posters or political cut-outs, with the addition these sculptures helped Menon achieve a different She has also treated members of her family as today. So there doesn’t seem to be a coherent
of traditional gold embellishment from Tanjore kind of play with light, differing from what she is subjects for her Murano glass sculptures. Many of connection between belief and practice; women
painting, all form grist for the mill of contemporary used to creating with her work with paints. Besides her sculptures too are embedded with a script, are definitely treated as lesser beings. If the
art practice. Added to this is the fact that these the figural sculptures, she has also worked in the some with Ram and others with Islamic women of our myths find their rightful place, we
sources are specifically indigenous to us, opening abstract, depicting icons of Hindu mythology, such calligraphy, meditative in their repetition. Previous further the interests of all women. But these
muses such as the Madonna and Christ also paintings also show a connection to the past that
served as inspiration for various sculptures. have led to the present situation. For instance, in
‘Sacred Prism III’ was an exhibition of a collection Parvati and Ganesh, Parvati has just experienced
of 80 such sculptures created alongside da Ros in a terrible event—Shiva cutting the head of her
1999 and 2001. These were exhibited in important baby. But her expression remains one of
galleries and museums, including the Italian acceptance. This acceptance has dominated our
Cultural Centre in New Delhi and the National discourse on gender for more than a thousand
Gallery of Modern Art in Mumbai. years. However we see that now; finally, we have
begun to rebel against that.”
Her paintings saw the introduction of tattooed
sadhu-esque subjects and serpent motifs. The The paintings showcased the inner power that lies
sadhu-like figures would often be embedded with within women, taking a step away from the
an amalgamation of Ram and Rahim, interweaved western view of feminism. Many of the mothers
together - a commentary on the growing religious painted in this series were inspired by the women
tensions in the country. She was influenced by she spotted in the Nizammudin Basti.
Hindu mythology during this time as well,
incorporating them into her works in her own style. The Vrindavan series was also executed during
this time, influenced by her travel to the city to
In the year 2000, the artist was conferred with the immerse her friend’s ashes. Witnessing young
Padma Shri by the Government of India. She then women here who had renounced worldly
became the first visual artist to be nominated to be possessions to take up the life of a sadhvi, she was
on the board of trustees of the Indira Gandhi moved by the act of renunciation in a heavily
National Centre for the Arts. 2002 saw a large materialistic world. The artist was also similarly
retrospective of her works being held at the inspired by pilgrimages and the throngs of people,
National Gallery of Modern Art, Mumbai, travelling uniting in devotion. Her work Yatra, a triptych,
to Lalit Kala Akademi in Delhi and Chitrakala pays homage to the massive annual pilgrimage of
Parishath in Bengaluru. kavadiyas to the river Ganga. This was acquired by
the Asian Art Museum of San Francisco in
Her Divine Mothers series came in the mid-2010s, California in 2006. Her pastoral series is inspired
where she depicted the mothers of holy deities like by the studio she works out of in Nizammudin and
Krishna and Jesus. This, for the artist, was a the sights surrounding it. The rural surroundings,
Google image : Alchetron — Looking Out of a Window, The Magician Story, Acolyte commentary on the irony of the treatment of especially the goat herders and their goats have
women in her home country despite their been a constant source of inspiration for Anjolie
up new vistas,” the artist said in the book ‘Women as the Shivalingam and the goddess Kali through deification in mythology. In conversation with during her career. The Goat and Shepherd series is
Who Dared’ edited by Ritu Menon. Her experiments bold shapes and colours alone. The glass works of Harmony about the series, she has said, “I have evidence of this, executed in the memory of the
with Murano glass sculptures too began during the artist do not solely stand as proof of her skill in always engaged with the subject of parent and days before the pandemic struck. She even draws
this time with her visiting the namesake island in different mediums but also her expression of child and this led to the Divine Mother series—for parallels between the bearded faces of the goat
Italy several times to work. Here, she worked with spirituality and emotion. She also worked all the Gods that are idolised there are the mothers herders she paints and the protagonists in
masters in the art of Venetian glassmaking. Thus alongside a master in glass work - Antonio da Ros, who share in their divinity. I think it is wonderful Byzantine art. Also featured in the series are
came the ‘Sacred Prism’ series, showing off the with whom the collaboration resulted in material for an artist. I’ve done Parvati and women who clutch their children close, again a

xvi