DRIVEN BY EXPRESSION

TINA THAKRAR SITS DOWN WITH PAINTER, SCULPTOR, MURALIST, AND MIXED MEDIA ARTIST SANGEETA BABANI AT HER ART-LADEN HOME IN MUMBAI TO DISCUSS HOW SHE PUTS HER ARTISTIC IDEAS TO CANVASES, WALLS, CITIES AND EVEN CARS

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It was a happy coincidence that I drove by one of Sangeeta Babani's murals on my way to meet her. It was also unsurprising - her artworks are impossible to miss, scattered across the suburb of Bandra in Mumbai. Bathed in colour, and telling the stories of the city and its people, these eye-catching works are representative of her signature style derived from her childhood in Spain, present-day life in Mumbai, experiences as a woman, and travels around the world.

As we settle in to chat in her living room, I'm surrounded by some of these ideas - large canvases drape her walls with interwoven narratives that are many-layered yet straightforward. Her work is not abstract, which is what makes it relatable and accessible. In the art world, complexity and the perception of exclusivity is commonplace, but Sangeeta's work is jargon-free, unambiguous, and welcoming, as is she.

Many viewers have associated Sangeeta's work with the feeling of happiness, but her intent has always been to project realities. She began with dark themes, and then progressed to urban milieus, travel-inspired art, and intermeshed storylines. With sculptures and 3D art, she brought in spatial dimensions and depth, making her work feel more real than ever. In the last 20 years, Sangeeta has created no less than 100 works of art, inclusive of paintings, sculptures, and 3D artworks.