Drawing and painting have been childhood fascinations. As with most artists who pursues it later in life, the journey has been a self taught and self motivated one for Shobitha Hariharan.
Pursuing art after having a full fledged corporate life is a challenging task but Shobitha, an artist based out of Mumbai has done it with ease. Having done commerce and law by qualification Shobitha had a successful professional career with leading organisations.
Well before her corporate life she was teaching art at Muscat for a number of years and held several workshops for adults.
Shobitha has exhibited at the prestigious Jehangir Art Gallery and at leading art shows such as India Art Festival at Mumbai World Art Dubai and the Kala Ghoda Arts Festival Mumbai. She has done both solo and group shows.
She is currently working on a series of paintings that has inspired her interest in history, literature, art and architecture of the past. She looks for similarities and commonalities between the past and the present and aims to create something fresh and new from the legacy.
Shobitha says “Distracted as we are today, how different are we from the common sparrows that freely flit around them?”
Unveiling our rendezvous with Shobitha Hariharan
A. How many years you have been in the field of art and why?
I have been pursuing art actively since 2015. I have been exhibiting since 2017. During this period I have created more than 200 paintings.
B. Describe about your art works and thought process behind the same.
I am currently working on a series of paintings that have been inspired by my interest in history, literature and the art and architecture of the past. Distracted as we are today, how different are we from the common sparrows that freely flit around them?
My earlier works are comprised of a series based on stairs and rooms that lead towards spaces that are yet to be explored to create ‘Spaces where the silence speaks’. I am inspired by curiosity about the events that might have taken place at the sites and their relevance to the present times. These are works on handmade paper where the visual effects of depth and temperature have been created using acrylic paints and soft pastels.
Another series is based on the powerful, gestural and ‘larger than proportionate’ hands in the sculptures created by Auguste Rodin. These are in charcoal powder and soft pastel on paper.
Paper textures and the effects of different mediums on them fascinate me. My experiments with textural surfaces have also led me to create tactile paintings on canvas too. Done in an experimental manner, these realistic works have received wide appreciation.
C. What kind of uniqueness you spotlight using your art?
I am enamoured with the concept that our memories in all their essence can be captured on canvas! I paint my experiences and memories. The sparrow is the story teller in most of my paintings.
I see myself as a sparrow whose presence is fleeting and transitory and yet observant and thoughtful. That sparrow can be you [the viewer] too.
Thanks Giving
The E Today is thankful to Shobitha Hariharan for her valuable time and even to Mr. Hiral Shah, The Chief Editor; who is currently promoting artist from every corner of India and, looking at creating a much needed platform to showcase every artist of the nation.