Keeping tradition alive

Prgati Puri   

The transparency of water colours, ease of mixing in pastels and the shine of acrylic is what fascinates me - sanju das

A self taught painter,Sanju Das infuses modernity into her traditional Madhubani paintings which vividly portray her rural concerns.

Sanju das comes across as an extremely sensitive artist who is proud of and fascinated by her rural moorings.her paintings -an uncanny blend of modern and traditional folk arts-won appreciation from both critics and connoisseurs of art at her recently held exhibition at the lalit kala akadami.Born and brought up in mithila,bihar ,Sanju Das has devoted heart and soul to madhubani paintings though she received no formal training in painting.Initiated into art at a very tender age,she learnt to paint only under the guidance of her mother,grandmother and other elderly women of her villege .In fact she, made her foray into the modern art after her marriage  with Rawindra Das,himself an artist ,and her friend,philosopher and guide.

Some of her paintings were included in the AIFACS ALL INDIA Drawing competition and one of them was also acquired by National Gallery Of Modern Art. It encouraged her to come up with her solo exhibition . So far she has held three solo exhibitions . sanju is comfortable painting with water colour and acrylic and her paintings are marked by bright ,vibrant colours.”The transparency of water colours, ease of mixing in pastels and the shine of acrylic is what fascinates me,”says she.No wonder then, she prefers to work in the mixed media.

While Sanju has been living in the city away fron her rural background,but that has not detached her from her roots. That explains why the nature in myriad forms-birds ,animals ,etc is the recurring motif of her canvases. “India’s rich cultural tradition is dear to me and very much a part of myself,”says Sanju. In her recent exhibition at the Lalit Kala Akadmi, she portrayed the dreams and aspirations of the rural women who dream high but are still down-to-earth. “Sanju das’s paintings portray women’s imagination,fantasies and dreams .The artist continues to be rooted in her rural folklife. So it is natural to see dominance of forms and figures of animals and birds on her canvas,”says the noted art critic Vinod Bhardwaj .

In fact she gives a modern and contemporary treatment to her Madhubani paintings which is quite an innovation. “My foray into modern art broadened my horizon. It made my task easier. Here I found all limitations dissolving. The selective and precise infusion of this art has helped me express myself,”says she.And anybody who has had a look at her canvas cannot but agree .

Rastriya Sahara march 2002