This Delhi artist romances rhythm through art
Drawing parallels between music and art, Hindustani classical vocalist and visual artist Radhika Surana will be presenting a solo show of charcoal drawings and pencil sketches in the city.
“The flow of the line on white paper, to me, resembles the flow of notes in music,” says the Delhi-based artist, who’ll showcase six imperial size charcoal drawings of lotuses and around 10 clusters of three to four sketches each in her exhibition, titled Search for Rhythm. “The use of texture and tonality in drawing is similar to the modulation of the voice when singing notes in music... Both line drawings and music are extensions of my search for rhythm,” says Surana.
The charcoal sketches have been titled on the concepts of rhythm in Hindustani classical music such as Sam (the beginning of the rhythmic cycle), Laya (the rhythm), Avartan (the cycle of 16 beats), Matra (the beat), Khaali (the muted beat), and Bol (the words of the rhythm). Every creation has a story to it. The Lotuses in the artworks are inspired by Surana’s visit to Thailand, the cows depict her fascination with simple outlines, and the works with leaves and flowers are inspired by her inclination towards the rhythm of flowing musical notes.
“When a line escapes my fingers, I experience the highs and lows of notes through the modulation of the lines in my drawings. The blank paper stares at me, and the lines dance in a rhythm of their own. Whenever I sit to draw, I feel the excitement of discovering this rhythm all over again,” adds the 49-yearold artist.
Her earlier works were in transparent water colour and acrylics, but she shifted to her current style, as she felt the need to display the power of the simple line on paper. “The deeper I’m going into music and painting, the more I want to simplify my work. Sketching is like riyaaz for me. Many a times, the drawing doesn’t have the rhythm I am seeking. So, it is a constant process of trying and failing and trying again,” says Surana. HTC