When ecological agonies dominate the canvas

New Delhi: Unrecognisable face of a female body with deep brown wounds signifies the sufferings of mother Earth in an oil painting on a show that focuses on global warming and the threat of climate change.

32 other works, including graphics at an exhibition entitled `Ecological Agonies` here also depicted the vulnerabilities and ever-expanding threat to environment. "I have used the figure of a women to signify earth as it nurtures everyone on this planet but today it is facing severe threat from increasing penetration of human beings and their greed," said artist Dipali Saha. She said, "I work with a NGO that focuses on environmental issues. My interaction with the environmentalists made me aware about the ever increasing threat to environment and our mother Earth." "According to me, the surroundings in which an artist survives on a daily basis dominate their paintings as well. So, when I paint them, these themes automatically dominate my paintings," said the 42-year-old artist at Rabindra Bhawan Gallery. Saha, who is trained in fine arts from the Visva-Bharati University, Santiniketan has held shows at London, Berlin , Dhaka among other cities in the country. She has used various mediums including wood curving, lithography, etching, oil on canvas, acrylic on canvas, viscosity among others to portray the agonies. "My paintings are a form of my protest. I have used a variety of colours including a lots of pink, blue, green to to signify scenic beauty which fills our heart with happiness or `Ananda`. While the red is used to signify blood which is a result of its struggle to protect its fruit or a woman`s womb." As a female artist, she feels that there are two important elements of nature - men and women - but the latter has to play a significant role. The exhibition is on till April 18. PTI