An artist’s tribute to Khaleej Times
NUPUR JHA’S ARTWORK EMPHASISES THE IMPORTANCE OF RESPONSIBLE JOURNALISM AS A PUBLIC SERVICE DURING A CRISIS
Swirling shapes, contorted compositions and an array of colourful patterns. Abstract art enables you to let your imagination fly. UAE resident Nupur Jha, a banker by profession and an artist by choice, recently paid a tribute to all that we, at Khaleej Times, have done through a beautiful work of abstract art.
Having spent 15 years in the banking industry, Nupur says she first picked up the brush only five years ago. “I had a lot of time to myself and could travel around the world to understand what was really pulling me towards this,” she tells us.
Art mirrors what happens in the real world, and Nupur has found a unique way to pay tribute to the work done by the media during this time. “What happened in the last six months during the pandemic came out through the reflection of print media and news. Awareness is key to social change, and news provides you with that. People read the news to keep up to date with what is going on in the world and in their region.”
The artwork was conceptualised keeping in mind what Khaleej Times does in the most responsible way. “If you look right at the centre, it shows a human fist which denotes nothing but liberation. The fluttering butterflies around show how things are opening up post the pandemic,” she explains. “All this is nothing but a reflection of who we are, what is happening, and what is the life that we, as citizens or residents of the UAE, are looking forward to.”
A special touch is the tiny rolls of paper she has embedded in the painting. “The rolls that I have put here are the bundles of paper we get in the morning with all the news and information. It shows how news can make people feel connected,” Nupur explains.
The artwork has a special section dedicated to the WKND magazine too. “An interesting section in the paper that I like a lot is WKND. People look out for that because it discusses topics related to art, lifestyle, wellness, food, etc. This helps deviate our mind from other harder news.” Full of symbolism, Nupur’s artwork validates that, during a crisis, responsible journalism can be a great public service.
What happened in the last six months during the pandemic came out through the reflection of print media and news. Awareness is key to social change, and news provides you with that” — Nupur