Original artwork description:

This painting is the eighth in my series called "Pitara - my Indian treasure trove". This is my still life series in oils that turns a Flemish eye on my country.
This painting features the traditional objects used in prayer rituals both at homes and temples around India. Red vermilion or sindoor, Pale yellow sandalwood powder or chandan, and brass lamp, a stand for incense sticks, a brass bell and a container for lighting camphor. The lighting of aromatic incense, the burning of camphor and the sound of the bell are believed to dispel all negative energies and usher in the auspicious, invoking God for the prayer in progress. These items are ubiquitous in modern India as much as they were in ancient times, reflective of tradition's live role in Indian culture
The photorealistic paintings in my Pitara series present the rich, earthy and warm tones of traditional India, capturing glimpses of its culture. The deep shadows and play of light on traditional materials draw inspiration from Flemish paintings and so does the multi-layered technique used to render these still life paintings. Through this series, I present Indian heritage through the lens of Flemish still life - a Western idiom vastly different from the art traditions of India. The language is Flemish and still life, the ideas and expressions Indian.

Materials used:

Oil on primed pintura fine grain canvas

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