Artists Statement and Resume
I have been painting for more than 20 years now. I have painted on canvas, on paper, on photographs, on wood, on glass, and even on a body! I have been trained as a painter in the Delhi School of Art and have had the privilege of working on solo exhibitions across several countries and with several people in the course of my career. Sometimes, people come to me and ask , "What do your paintings mean?", or "How do I appreciate your art?". Alas, there is no formula that I am aware of. The meaning, if any, is within you, the viewer. It's a function of your own experiences. Often the "meaning" is wordless. I am reminded of a zen koan - the zen master keeps filling the cup of tea for his pupil until it overflows and more. The pupil says, "Stop master.. it is full, it cannot take any more"; to which the master responds, "Yes, and until you empty it, there would not be any space for more". So, empty your self. Take some time and view the work. If there is something which invites you, look deeply. Maybe there is something you find -? The experience, or impact, is what I attempt to paint. As I experience life in its many forms, there are some moments which leave their own indelible impact on me. A visual impact, a presence which haunts me until I have exorcised it by putting my brush to the canvas. Each of my works has its own moment of association and raison d'être. I paint to relate my inner self, my space, to this association.My invitation to my audience is to allow just that much space to view, or to relate to, a canvas so that the painting of a tree isn't just bark and leaves, so that the sea isn't a body of water. Maybe you discover the lushness within the tree, or, perhaps the depth of a soul within the sea. This may not necessarily be the moment I had in mind when I painted, it may just be your own moment. Perhaps there is a subliminal association.
Yes, there is always the other way of appreciation of Art. Is the hand in proportion to the head? Does the face look real? Or surreal? Is the colour-scheme appealing? Is the theme arresting?... it's a long list...In fact, I've written a series of books on this subject. But to see only this, is to see the form and not the content. Ever noticed it when you go to a gallery, view a painting and feel entranced? Why is it that we spend so much time in appreciating that one piece in the entire show? We say, "This painting strikes me", without knowing fully why. Perhaps there has been a wordless association of a memory which has made you relate to the same visual as the artist? This response, when evoked, is my greatest reward as an artist. That's when I know that I am successful. This is me. And then there are some moments, associations and landmarks which define and shape us over the years. This profile is an attempt to outline some of these. Highlights Fellow, Royal Society of Arts, London BFA, Delhi College of Art. Indian Classical Vocal Music, Allahabad Advanced Photography, Lycee Technique Estienee, Paris. CEE, Design (Visual Communication), IIT, Bombay 30 solo exhibitions of paintings across Europe, Australia, South East Asia and India. Research in Concrete Poetry, International Archives, Selb, Germany. Plates of the works have been permanently preserved Running own art gallery - Studio Geeta Vadhera - in Noida, a suburb of New Delhi Illustrator of books for children. Over 1000 books illustrated for publishers in Europe, South East Asia and India Design assignments for Christan Dior, Paris and Treasey Loewe, London. Chief Designer and Fashion Co ordinator, Export Division, Central Cottage Industries Corporation, New Delhi Creative planner, Festival of Arts, New Delhi - produced curtain raiser audio visual - which was presented to Mr. Rajiv Gandhi, then Prime Minister TV producer with Doordarshan India - produced weekly "Arts Diary"Radio producer with All India Radio and BBC New Delhi Released Book titled " Ansh"; an anthology of poems based on Concrete Poetry. Designed series of 5 books - "An Introduction to Art" conceived and designed for children Awarded Bharat Nirman Award for important contribution in the field of Art, New Delhi
Exhibitions
Outside India "Rik", Show based on the Rig Veda, Jacques Place, Turin "Rik", Galerie Anne Marie Rey, Nice "Time and Space", At Opening of India House, Bonn "Aru", Show based on Isovasya Upanishad, La Finestrella Galerie d'Arte, Canelli "Aru", Audio visual and paintings, Lycee Technique Estienee, Paris "Aru", Urban Development Authority, Singapore "Aj", Show based on Kabir's Sakhis, Funan Centre, Singapore "Aj", with Audiovisual and lecture, Alliance Francaise, Singapore "Ank", Show based on the Rig Veda, At the Opening of India House, Bonn "Sarvam", works based on the essence of the Bhagwad Geeta, Singapore Festival of Arts; supported by audio visual and jazz ballet tap dance by Karen Clarke, Imperial Hotel, Singapore "Sarvam", Alliance Francaise, Singapore "Grenzbereiche der Konkreten Kunst", Forum Konkreten Kunst, Erfut, Germany "Aksh - The Weave" , Calligraphic paintings, 27th World Book Fair, Singapore "The She Shadow", on aspects of womanhood, Singapore "Saam - An Act of Space" - Tours, France
Within India
Tharro Thar , Galerie Leela, Mumbai Jogia Dhoop , Visual Arts Gallery, India Habitat Centre, New Delhi "Ansh", Exhibition on Concrete Poetry, AIFACS, New Delhi "Ansh", Museum of Fine Arts, Chandigarh "Sogarda", Exhibition of the Society of Graphic Designers, Lalit Kala Akademi, New Delhi (Participant) All India Art Exhibition, Lucknow All India Art Exhibition, Banaras National Sahitya Kala Parishad Exhibition, New Delhi Show of Awic (Writers and Illustrators Association), India International Centre, New Delhi (Participant) The She Shadow", on aspects of womanhood, New Delhi
Media Coverage
Press "Introducing an Indian Genius of Arts", Lianhe Zaobao, Singapore "Translating Philosophy into Pictures", The Straits Times, Singapore "Mostra di artisti internazionali", il Canellese, Turin "A One Woman Mission", Female, Singapore "Artist with a Poets Heart", The Straits Times, Singapore "An Artist's Absolute View of the Universe", The Straits Times, Singapore "Spiritual States on Scrolls", The Straits Times, Singapore "Sanskrit Inspires an Artist Fond of the Abstract", The Sunday Times, Singapore "Lukisanjadi jurukap' Geeta", Berita Harian, Penang "Grande Interesse", Trentagiorni, Turin "Geeta", Nouvelle Republique, Poitou "A Journey from point to the whole", Lien, Singapore Tamil Murasu, Singapore "De L'Essentiel A L'Absolu", Lien, Singapore "Cultural Exposition", Il Giornale Dell'Art, Turin "Importante Iniziativa ENFAC, Beffroi, Paris", Trentagiorni, Turin "Konstruktivisumus", Fevilleton, Bonn "Where Words Are Concrete Poetry", The Indian Express, Chandigarh "Les Tapisseries du Punjab", Centre Culturel du Beffroi, Tours "Arts et vie", Nice Matien, Nice ..and numerous pieces in the Hindustan Times, The Times of India, Statesman, The Indian Express in India
Television Singapore Broadcasting Corp. Channel I, Paris Nice Matin, Paris Kohl TV, Bonn Frankfurt Kulturel, Frankfurt ABC, Australia Zee TV Doordarshan, India Radio Singapore France - Paris France - Tours BBC Australian Broadcasting Corporation Germany All India Radio
Lectures
"Movement, Space and Self Within", St.Patrik's Fine Arts, Singapore "Creativity and Children", Bahruddin Educational Institute, Singapore "Illustration, Media and Medium", Kim Sing Technical School, Singapore "The Absolute", CDISC Hindu Studies Section, Singapore "Parts and the Whole", Urban Redevelopment Authority, Singapore "Weave in Time", Imperial Hotel, Singapore "Rig Veda", La Salle, Singapore "Inhale and Exhale", Beffroi, Tours "Form and Content", India House, Bonn "Art and Movement", Tasmania University, Tasmania "Content and Space", National University of Canberra, Canberra "Art Appreciation", Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi "Art Appreciation", IIT, New Delhi "Visual Communication", Indian Institute of Mass Communication, New Delhi "Children and Art Education", NCERT, Pune "A Vision: Concrete Poetry", State Museum of Art, Chandigarh
Paintings in Collection (Prominent Organizations and Establishments)
Studio Annja, Scottsdale, Phoenix Westin Stamford Hotel, Singapore Westin Plaza Hotel, Singapore Embassy of France, Singapore Royal Norwegian Embassy, Singapore Ministry of Communications & Information, Singapore Ministry of Urban Development, Singapore Alliance Francaise, Singapore Mighty Minds, Singapore Festival of Arts Pte. Ltd., Singapore International Archives of Concrete Poetry, Selbe India House, Bonn Centre d' Beffroi, Tours L' Cinemathique, Tours Galerie Anne Marie Rey, Nice Lycee Technique Estienee, Paris Centre for Contemporary Arts, Turin Canberra University, Canberra Frank Brothers, New Delhi Vikas Publishing House, New Delhi Bell Ceramics, New Delhi Hyatt Regency Hotel, New Delhi Bharat Carbon & Ribbon, New Delhi ... and with numerous private collectors in France, Australia, Germany, Switzerland, Malaysia, India and USA.
Asscociations Fellow, Royal Society of Art, London Managing Trustee, Sarvodaya International Trust Trustee, Academy of Visual Media Vice President, Lioness Club Member, All India Women.s Conference Member, All India Writers and Illustrators for Children
