IN PHOTOS: Kala Ghoda's exhibition portrays homebound existential turmoil

Multidisciplinary artist Mona Sharma captures lived experiences and internal spaces in her painting exhibition: ‘A Mind Within a Space' running at Kala Ghoda till November 19

Updated On: 2023-11-02 12:19 PM IST

Compiled by : Editor

'On The Toes' and 'Tell Him To Stop' by Mona Sharma

Within the series of 13 paintings, spaces change to evoke a sense of unease and restlessness. With chapters like “Stay Calm”, “It’ll Pass Soon”, and “Are you OK” – the imageries portray a longing to feel at ease, as individuals quietly grapple with the weight of being still, unwittingly believing in the process and living life on the edges

In "Eating Anxiety," you witness four men gathered around a compact circular table, coming together for a meal in a lively backdrop of yellow hues. The act of bonding over food is a universally cherished concept, regardless of your location. However, in Mona's artwork, these individuals are drenched in blue acrylics, each focusing on their plates, maintaining a profound silence and avoiding any eye contact

Similarly, “Looking at Us” symbolises the concealed rapport between two people who are connected on a mental level. Despite the connection, these individuals are looking away – trying to discover themselves and finding a sense of belonging in their surroundings. It’s a commentary on people who are conjoined together yet feel incomplete – almost on another quest to fill the ever-expanding void

“A Sunny Day” represents a road trip undertaken by a family on a bright morning. The painting is a metaphorical depiction of life’s journey personified as a moving car. Traversing through life, like travelling in a car – becomes the coming together of two canvasses. And just how, two realities collide – two opinions emerge

Life-like and banal, Mona’s paintings transition from an indulgent couch rotting session to living in harmony with beak-poking pigeons. It’s a dichotomy of rest and disquiet, pain and numbness, aloofness in a gathering – an allegory of sorts. Things simultaneously fall in and out of place like the theatrics of seasonal changes, causing slight discomfort but nothing unusual or unexpected

Hailing from Mansor, Madhya Pradesh, Mona is pursuing her Master in Fine Arts from the Government Institute of Fine Arts. She primarily uses watercolour while some of her artworks are in acrylics and oil paints. Apart from these, she has also worked with other mediums like sand, tissues and fabric to convey materiality. 

Attend till: November 19 
Time: 11 am – 6 pm except Mondays and Tuesdays
Address: Mezzanine Level, Method Kalaghoda, 86, Nagindas Master Rd, Kala Ghoda, Fort  

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