Beyond primaries palette – The Hindu

“The mountain doesn’t necessarily have to be brown,” says Nupur Kundu referring to the inspiration behind her latest work, the Vibgyor Scape series. The painting presents itself as a 70-piece grid with a dynamic spectrum of colours flowing through the artwork. It draws significance from the spontaneity every child possesses. “My time as an art educator for children during COVID-19 forced me to think out of the box as I saw their interest in going beyond conventional colours,” says Nupur.

She has showcased her works of over 30 years in a solo exhibition, Hues and Scapes, at Dhoomimal Gallery.

Unconventional

Curated by Uday Jain, the show exhibits seven art series, including three new works with a common narrative transcending the conventional confines of expression through colours, textures and shapes.

‘Mosaic Scapes,’ a recent work of Nupur’s is congruent with the theme of conformity to abstract values. The mix media work depicts a harmonious amalgamation of the abstract scape in oil with an intricate texture of ceramic mosaic tiles. The application of the mosaic ceramic tiles along the border allows the work to have a non-restrictive frame that goes beyond the palette.

“The landscape grows from inside out. The ceramic tiles along the surface of the canvas are not merely ornamental; they provide a seamless merging of soft oil pigment into the tactile beauty of mosaic craftsmanship,” she says.

In a few of her other works, the chromatic metaphors with moving colour patterns are diversified through pastel shades which provide a sense of tranquillity to the expression. The ‘Pastellum Scape Series’ moves away from the use of primary colours and employsmuted tones with evocative softness and desaturation

The series includes nine canvases that add a unique dimension to the dreamlike effervescence of the compositions. The pastel hues range from the warmth of red to the cool of blue embracing a wide spectrum of emotions. “Soft hues blend seamlessly to evoke a dreamlike, tranquil atmosphere; this series is a visual poem, a soothing journey through a palette of muted tones evoking calm and introspection,” says Nupur.

The exhibition also showcases her previous works from the ‘Earth Scape’,‘Bloom Scape’ , ‘Red Scape’ and ‘Palette Scape Series’. On the occasion, Nupur also released her book which serves as a culmination of her works of three decades. “I have reached a kind of saturation and felt all my works should be presented together.”

(At Dhoomimal Gallery, G-42, Connaught Place; Till May 24; 11am to 7pm)