UNLOCKING CREATIVITY

If the Covid pandemic affected each part of our lives, can art be far behind? Two young Indian painters Aditi Purwar and Shivangi Kalra take us through the ups and downs of their artistic journeys through the pandemic and how it has shaped their personal and creative vision

- Manasvi Jerath

Delhi girl Shivangi Kalra held her first paintbrush at the age of six and was encouraged by her family and teachers to pursue art ever since. As her personal style developed, she began to tilt towards surreal elements and dream-like compositions. She has been part of many virtual exhibitions such as Nippon Gallery, Kolkata Centre for Creativity, and Art 9 Hong Kong. She was also awarded The Best Painting in an online exhibition by Eastern Foundation of Art and Culture in April 2020 during the lockdown.

Shivangi Kalra

Shivangi creates self-portraits through allegorical features and visual metaphors in her artworks. “I like recreating things as I remember them, I don’t like to imitate their reality. If I have half-forgotten the form, I create the forgotten part afresh from imagination. Sometimes, I draw inspiration from images, if I revisit pictures that stir up nostalgic feelings,” says the 22-year-old, who completed her BFA from Delhi College of Art this year.

She is intrigued by the way the patterns of life interact with lifeless ones in a very silent manner. “My practice revolves around the intricacies of life, impermanent shadows, subtle gestures of the living and slight movements of the nonliving, flowing patterns and fluid forms. I believe that every moment leaves a mark on us and deserves to be expressed in its own share of time and space, including every element that makes that moment exotic,” says Shivangi, who works with oils, watercolours and mixed media. She has recently begun incorporating digital elements into her practice.