‘The idea of the diaspora itself has changed’: Chitra Ganesh, artist, The Indian Express
Artist Chitra Ganesh at Gallery Espace, in New Delhi on Monday, January 27, 2023. (Express photo by Abhinav Saha)
Written by Vandana Kalra | New Delhi | March 24, 2023 10:00 IST
New York-based Chitra Ganesh’s solo ‘Orchid Meditations’ at New Delhi’s Gallery Espace draws on some of her familiar themes, including Buddhist and Hindu iconography, myth and science fiction, comics and surrealism. In this interview, Ganesh, 48, talks about her influences, being part of the diaspora and why the written word is crucial to her art.
Does the title of the show, Orchid Meditations, also reflect on the pandemic, when several of these works were made?
The title of the exhibition is based on a painting of the same name. It shows a tree-headed figure in a meditative state, surrounded by forest and enclosed in a glowing sphere, holding a pair of orchids. In 2021, when both my partner and I lost our fathers, someone gave us an orchid. I noticed then that I love how orchids are inclined to bloom only when they want and thrive in the shadows. They are both delicate and firmly rooted and associated with sensuality. This exhibition mixes personal and art historical imagery to explore the way politics, loss, and fantasy come together in daily life.