Blue Period
She's In The Streets, She's In The Stars
'Over seven decades, I have bore witness to the lives of many different women, a number of which being myself. The theme of womanhood in all its forms, seen and unseen, has been a constant thread through the career of my artmaking. While the medium has changed, the presence and significance of women has not. Historically speaking, women have rarely been the central character of any story. Rather, they have been pushed into the background, their roles, desires, and existence nothing more than of service to others. Through my art, I’ve explored the many ways in which women are an integral part of society, family, and life itself.
These works are a second language which allow me to freely share long forgotten episodes of my lifetime, my innermost feelings. Sometimes the same woman recurs in multiple artworks, and sometimes her presence is fleeting, though no less important. The women in my artwork are you, they are me. They are in the stars, they are in the streets,' explains Santosh.
The Artist
Santosh Jain’s art career began in 1971 as a young Printmaker in College Of Art, Delhi. Her prints earned her an inclusion in prestigious artist associations - Group 8, Shilpi Chakra, Lalit Kala Akademi, Bombay Art Society and AIFACS. Followed by a 2 years fellowship to the Netherlands before she returned to New Delhi in 1976. By using mediums as a language of expression, Jain’s practice over the years has included lithographs, collages, paintings and photographs. The past decade of her career has centered around Digital Landscapes – a dexterous juxtaposition of her original photographs of the everyday with photography softwares, virtual brushes and traditional artistic tools such as acrylic, charcoal and pen.
Her recurring subjects include ‘women’ and ‘the exploited’ that expand into empathy and layered personal narratives. She refers to these works as ‘her second language, which allows her to freely share long forgotten episodes of her life and her innermost feelings’. Her creative process is intense and each creation is a unique edition. Jain is currently based in Delhi.
The exhibit is on view till 25th July' 21 at Method Kala Ghoda.
Date 05-07-2021