Original artwork description:

This painting is the fourth 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.

India is a country of many diverse and rich dance forms and traditions, each one elaborate and mesmerizing. Whether the Bharatnatyam and Kathakali from the South, Odissi and Manipuri from the East or Kathak from the North of India; it is the tiny ankle bells or ghungroos as they are called in Hindi, that are common across Indian dance forms. Captured here as if left behind in the deep low lights backstage, the ghungroo is the ultimate symbol of Indian Nrittya – almost sacred to any dancer in India. Come dance with me

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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