Anjolie Ela Menon back in the city to showcase her artwork in Colaba

The series of paintings of Namboodiri sadhus on display at the exhibition. Pics/Anurag Ahire

Art is meant to be challenging. It is unfamiliar to the layman on the street; sometimes uninteresting and on other occasions, bewildering. This writer was reminded of Michelangelo's words: ‘It is necessary to keep one's compass in one's eyes and not in the hand, for the hands execute, but the eye judges,' as he walked into a quiet lane in Colaba for a sneak peek of Anjolie The Wanton Fabulist that opens at Art Musings today. In the same week where an 82-year-old Hayao Miyazaki won his first Golden Globe, Anjolie Ela Menon returns to Mumbai with a collection of works that range from divine to mortal; all touched by grace.

"I have always been a figurative painter. It is difficult not to be one in such an overpopulated country," the artist jests over a phone call. To categorise Anjolie Ela Menon as a simple figurative painter would be injustice. Yet, the figures are important. They compel you to react. As the artist explains herself, "There is a dominance [of figures], and women, in my work. Even in the landscapes, with only a chair or a charpoy, it is a moment after they have left the frame. There is an absence of the person, if not the presence."

Self Portrait by the artist

Her studio at the Nizamuddin basti in Delhi is the source of many such inspirations. Goat People, one such oil on Masonite piece, is an example. Then, there are works such as the Namboodiri sadhu series, featuring five distinct profiles peering through the canvas. All of the works, even the large self-portrait of the artist in her studio precinct, emanate a sense of melancholia. "Through my journey, it has dominated my endeavours. Whether through literature, travels and of course, Rabindra Sangeet itself, which carry within them a touch of sadness. The melancholia is a part of my Bengali heritage," she explains.

As gallerist Sangeeta Raghavan takes us through the exhibition, we are struck by the eyes on each canvas. A signature, they capture the artist's idea of sadness, curiosity and wonder. "During my years in Paris, I travelled through the Roman cathedrals, and viewed Byzantine art. I was very much influenced by the stillness and calm life depicted," Ela Menon says. Yet, upon her return, she absorbed newer influences. The Namboodiri series, she mentions, stems from her life with her husband Rear Admiral (retired) Raja Menon in Kerala. "In his traditional home, there were photographs, artworks and daguerreotypes that captured life, culture and symbols," she reveals.

Madonna and Child from The Divine Mother series

The work is spaced to tell a story, and to allow viewers to experience them in an intimate manner. They are also punctuated with quotations by the artist to offer some context. The exhibition will host 26 works in all, including a few of her older artworks from the family collection, the gallerist informs us. The older works include a wonderful mural, The Horse from 1971, and self-portraits of the artist, and even members of her family.

The headline acts of the show are placed in the upper level of the gallery. The Divine Mother series - featuring Yashoda and Krishna, Parvati and Ganesha, Mariam and baby Jesus - capture a sense of calm that offers a different perspective to female divinity. Ela Menon shares that this journey began with her earlier painting of the Madonna. "It occurred to me that there are many such mothers in the Indian pantheon of gods as well. The women are just as important as the divine babies," she says. Talk to her about the feminist gaze, and she dismisses it. "I believe more in a balance between Purusha and Prakriti. These are sisters of my own sorority," she says.

It is quite a challenge to sum up an artistic journey that has spanned over 60 years. And while she has been showing around the world, Mumbai remains close to her heart. From attending the Sir JJ School of Art, to her first show, the city is a key part of her career. "I started here. I have lived in the city for many years, and it is precious to me for its memories and the people. It is nice to bring something special to it," she remarks. As though we could forget her presence as India's leading modernists. "To be honest, I was never part of the group. I was more of a maverick and found my own path. It has always driven me to newer discoveries," she notes.

"This show is a homecoming for her," Raghavan shares, "She was among this gallery's first and most important friends." Her artistic insight was instrumental in shaping the gallery space including shopping for grills and suggestions to open up the rafters to offer a larger breathing space to artworks, Raghavan says. Now, the space will host its old friend for the first time this decade.

From: Today to February 29; 11 am onwards
At: Art Musings, Admiralty Building, Colaba Cross Lane, Colaba.
Call: 35924220