Artist’s pioneer concepts break new ground with unique fusion
DUBAI: Uae-based artist Ria Sharma’s solo show titled ‘Within and Beyond’ at the Event Lobby of Intercontinental Festival city, Dubai (Sept. 26 – Nov. 26), is an occasion where Cubism, Sufism, Engineering and Aesthetics come together in an explosive pyrotechnic display of dynamic colours, disciplined motion, geometric-anatomic combinations and an outrageous but thoroughly satisfying fusion of these elements.
Intercontinental is a known supporter of Art and Culture of the region. This Art season, the hotel, in one of its inspired initiatives, has decided to collaborate with Sharma, both to give viewers a critical look into her creativity and also to bring a whirlpool of colour into its lobby space.
As a civil engineer, Sharma has worked on major infrastructure projects in India such as dams and medical colleges. Since 2000, she is in Dubai and has been involved in the design and construction of iconic projects such as the world’s tallest hotel apartments and award winning skyscrapers.
“I felt at home amidst the sweat, heat, dust and noise of construction sites and enjoyed working with a multinational crew to build high rises that shaped the distinctive skyline of Dubai”, she says of why she enjoyed doing what she did.
Then a few years ago, she found a new passion for art. She now works in her studio creating art as a way, she says, “of seeking the higher purpose in life”. She also collaborates with social organisations across the globe, to create art that can benefit society, especially underprivileged women, special needs kids, creating awareness of Autism, breast cancer, exploited women of Africa and many other similar issues. She has developed a Cubist style of her own that is prety much a derivative of her Civil Engineering and Construction background.
Self-taught and versatile, her true passion has been the play of Cubism in her monochrome subjects. Her subjects are in dynamic rhythm within controlled cubist lines. It seems a powerful spirit seeks to burst from the constraints of the cubist shapes.
This is her fourth Solo. Each year, she takes her solo to different emirates. Her work and style has been extensively covered by leading newspapers of Dubai and on TV. She has also participated in many international exhibitions.
Speaking of her style, Sharma says that “engineering is all about solving problems and finding solutions. This requires defragmentation of involved components. I guess my inner hidden artist always wanted to draw, but since I am trained to do only technical drawings, possibly it is more natural for me to consider each part
Left: From the Cosmic Dynamism series.
From the series The Search Within. of human figures as constructive blocks and reconstruct these to build a human structure.
“Subjects appear to me as assembly of various components, joints, and how the whole structure comes together as a functional system in harmony. The art of breaking up my subjects into smaller geometric forms and reassembling them in block wise construction methodology, is sheer joy.
“For me, Cubism represents a fine fusion of my two professions – first, an artistic derivative of my engineering background and then, reflecting multiple perspectives as to how my inner artist has evolved”.
Her expertise with thread and needle work is shown in one of the pieces. She has been working the summer to give life to the fading memory and fading tradition of Sindhi embroidery from India, and supplementary mirror work. Titled ‘Threads of Devotion’, Sharma tries to merge the needle and thread with her effort at Dynamic Cubism.
The Lyrical Soul series featuring ballerinas, conveys the idea that immersing oneself in something passionately is akin to being in a melodious, eternal trance.
Above all, there is a touch of Arabic calligraphy. “I was fortunate to meet master calligrapher Mohammed Atiq Ansari, who taught me this ancient art form”, Sharma says.
She answers a few questions for Gulf Today, to give a fuller view of her oeuvre
* Do you think inner life is beyond the grasp of science? That it can be shown only by art?
I do think science and inner life are in fact complementary. Well, science is essential for the external world. And I believe external self is a reflection of your inner world. Literature by great philosophers, poets and art are some of the modes to explore the inner self.
* Inner life is supposed to be calm or something to be calmed through meditation, for example. You, on the other hand, depict it in dynamic motion. Is there some disjoint here?
Meditation is nothing but a higher conscious level, being aware of ourselves. I believe any kind of art, or passion connects us to our true self. Dance and music gain a rhythm or a momentum, which is synchronous with a superior creating conscious level.
* Do your colours carry meanings? Do you colour code emotions?
Colours are a very important part of my day. Happy, vibrant and bright! Exactly the way I desire my day each morning. My abstract Cubic subjects though monochromatic, brighten up with a controlled sprinkling of colours. One bold colour at a time with its saturated hues helps me depict various shades of energies, giving deeper emotional value to it. It connects me to my work and hopefully, to the audience.
* What does sufism have in common with engineering? How has your background as an engineer helped your art making?
Cubism is absolutely a derivative of my Engineering background. How unknowingly I start analysing an object into sub-elements, creating joints and connections, is part of my training as an engineer. So also defragmenting it before assembling it into a safe frame!
I think any background is indeed helpful in Arts, so far you are honest in trying to connect to our true self. You tell your story and not another artist’s story. Mater of fact, my background has given me an identity. My style is an offshoot of my Civil Engineering background.