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| August 2012
Art &
Culture
The Versatile Virtuoso
Srimati Lal
Fusion Life brings to its readers artists who are
unique in their search Ior the unknown through
their art. But it is a rare opportunity to come
across an artist who is as multi-Iaceted as
being an artist, a poet, a writer, critic and
a curator. Catch Dipti. P in conversation
with Srimati Lal, who probes and rejoices
in the magical mystery called Life.
Photo Credits - Jit Kumar and Kabeer Lal
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GOLDEN GODDESS IN AZTEC NECKLACE
by Srimati Lal at Benedictions
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August 2012 |
Art &
Culture
FL: Your talent is multi-faceted; youre an
artist, a poet, a writer and a critic also. Which
is the eld that is dear to your heart?
Srimati Lal: All these elds - Painting,
Poetry, Creative Writing, Art Criticism and Curation
in which I have been immersed for almost all of
my life are all equally close to my heart. I started
drawing very well as an infant, even before I could
write. In my earliest childhood, I started indulging
in my twin passions - art and literature, by drawing
literary illustrations to my own poems and stories.
I even created comic-books based upon all the
strange characters surrounding me in our salons,
at home! While I depicted most people rather
unapologetically in my sketches replete with
their comical eccentricities and aws, my father
always emerged as a super-hero, a literary genius
with multi-faceted abilities, abundantly generous,
scintillating, handsome, warm and charismatic,
inspiring, with a great sense of humour.
I began writing poetry seriously during my early
teens which is also extremely close to my soul. I
have published a new book of my poems in each
decade of my adulthood, each one with my own
illustrations: THE WINDOW (1986), SIX POEMS
(1997), and THE WARRIORS (2006).
My Art Criticism has been a marvellous
adventure which has permanently bonded me
with Indias brilliant contemporary art movement.
Since my 20s, I have written Art columns for The
Times of India, The Indian Express and several
other mainstream journals. Currently I am the
Art Critic for Friday Gurgaon - a responsible
post that I enjoy immensely, writing a full-page
illustrated column every Friday.
The leader of Indias Modern Art Movement -
F. N. Souza had appointed me as his curator for
ten years. I learnt an immense amount about the
international art world by curating a show every
year in the USA, London and India, with annotated
catalogues and meticulous documentation. I am
deeply absorbed in all of the above disciplines,
each of which are very different, absorbing every
moment of my life and I really cannot say that
I prefer one over the other. My art and my
poetry come rst, if one were forced to make
a ranking.
FL: Your paintings are enchanting. Tell us
something about your style of painting and
is there a muse to your creations?
Srimati: Many thanks for your kind praise
of my paintings ... Ah! Enchanting is such a
lovely word! My muse! Invariably, viewers of
my portraits of women and goddesses ask me,
Is that a self-portrait?
My own likeness does appear in some of my
paintings but subconsciously there is no vanity
involved here. I think all creativity involves
elements of autobiography; the person we best
know is, after all, ourselves. Hence my own face
may subliminally appear in my art, even though
I do not ever look at myself in a mirror to draw
my own portrait. My muse emerges mysteriously
from my minds deepest recesses, and at times it
could even be a reection of me. My husband, Jit
of late has also appeared as my muse in many
of my portraits of his face and in my most recent
canvasses such as INDIAN EDEN, where I have
painted Jit quietly seated beneath a tree with a
wild cat on his lap while I dance beside them,
wearing a red Rajasthani ghagra under our
benevolent tree of life casting its benedictions
upon us!
I have an eclectic variety of aesthetic inspirations.
Indian folk art is my greatest energiser, from the
masterful ancient patachitras of Orissa and
Bengal to vibrant Kutch and Madhubani tribal art,
as well as all forms of Indian decorative crafts
which include embroidery, jewellery, textiles and
design. I am also inspired by my mentor Souzas
bold and skilful draughtsmanship.
I am not an abstract artist by choice, in the
sense that I believe in retaining the human
form in my art. The human face and Nature
fascinates me.
FL: Your father, it seems, is an inspiration to
you in your journey through art. Please share
with us something about him.
Srimati: My father, Purushottam Lal, the
founder of Indias Indo-Anglian Literary Movement
with his legendary publishing house - the Writers
Workshop has always been my favourite human
being and remains my greatest inspiration. I believe
my baba and I always share a karmic bond. We
have the same birthmarks on our forengers and
thumb and we share similar tastes. We could read
each-others mind, and we still do. My father is a
Golden Goddess with Parrot and Dove Oil & Acrylic on
Canvas 24 x 24 2012 by Srimati Lal
SOUZA PAINTING HIS MUSE by Srimati Lal Oil
on Canvas 3 ft x 2 ft Delhi March 2012
RENAISSANCE FLOWER GIRL
by Srimati Lal at Benedictions
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| August 2012
Art &
Culture
prince among men, gentle and sensitive, a genius
in literature and design who was often envied. He
created the term transcreation, which is now in
the Oxford dictionary and he was awarded an
Honorary Doctorate by the worlds leading
universities even though he was an independent
creative visionary, far above the rote of mere
academia.
Baba was also a brilliant calligrapher with a
vast collection of specialised pens and gold-tipped
nibs. An artist at heart with an immense design
sensibility, P. Lal had all his WW volumes bound
exquisitely in Indian handloom sari-cloth in jewel
colours brilliantly emblazoned with calligraphy
in gold emboss, as early as the 1960s, long
before Fab India and ethno-chic became the
rage. A true Renaissance man, my dear father
lovingly taught me all the principles of literary
and artistic discipline. He gave me so much that
words cannot describe how blessed I feel to be
his daughter. Such brilliant, beautiful, spiritual and
charming personalities as my father are actually
the rarest and highest of human phenomena on
the evolutionary scale. I have recently compiled
a best-selling illustrated book that I designed,
FLOWERS FOR MY FATHER, which is available
at leading bookshops such as Khan Markets Full
Circle, Variety Book Depot and India Habitat
Centres Little Bookstore.
FL: You have conducted many exhibitions
and workshops. Do you wish to convey any
message through them to the present and
future artists?
Srimati: My fervent message to all artists
isLook deep into your own heritage. Study the
genius inherent in your own countrys most ancient
art forms. You will nd all the answers there. Do
not ape passing trendy fads in an attempt to
be cool and international, as thats just the
quickest route to compromising your own identity
and making a complete travesty of your art. Too
many contemporary artists today are making this
awful mistake in a hurry to be Page-3 personas.
Alas! When will they ever introspect, be humble,
and learn what the integrity of TRUE ART is?
FL: Any unfullled dreams?
Srimati: My life as an artist and a writer has
been far more vibrant and dramatic than I could
ever have imagined. From being the muse of a
great painter like Souza, who created hundreds of
beautiful portraits of me from 1993 to 2002 to being
exhibited as an artist myself all over the world at a
young age; to being honoured at Londons Nehru
Centre in 2006 with a major retrospective, one of
the youngest artists to have had one there and
experiencing the magic of expressing my deepest
thoughts in poetry and prose - all these have been
more than I could ever ask for.
Now, I am at a peaceful and happy stage in
my life at last, with a sweet life-partner who is
like a friend, someone whom I can be myself with
totally, who is also a creative and visual soul like
me, with a world-view, a sense of humour, warmth,
and an introspective spiritual thought-process. He
is a talented photo-artist who has studied his craft
intensely, and I am curating an exhibition of his
recent photographic images in July at Galaxy
called MYSTERIES AND MEDITATIONS. It is a
deeply enriching and joyful creative and personal
interaction. This is enough for me.
I have many other delightful hobbies and
pastimes to keep me joyful. I love animals,
specially cats. I am an inveterate designer. I
create my own amboyant designs for jewellery,
couture, furniture, and all kinds of accessories. I
enjoy cooking very much.
I love life. I believe that integrity is denitely
protected by the cosmos and that one must have
full faith in unseen powers, in hard times as well
as good times. I am happy with my life and I
thank my Karmic forces deeply for having put
me through the toughest tests and yet protecting
me and inspiring me at every stage of my truly
extraordinary journey.
I believe in Shakespeares telling lines: There
are more things on Heaven and Earth... than are
contained in your philosophy. I am an optimist
and a Zen-Warrior. Hence I enjoy life to the fullest
and despite all kinds of complexities; I relish every
challenge and rejoice in this magical mystery
called Life.

Artist Srimati Lal with Chief Guest Shobha Broota lighting
Inaugural candle at her Solo show opening, Galaxy
Anjolie Menon inaugurates Srimatis Solo Show STUDIO 55 Delhi
Goddess in Garden - Oil on Canvas 24 x 24- by Srimati Lal
HOLI BOUQUETS by Srimati Lal HR
Artist Jogen Chowdhury inaugurating Srimati Lal Solo Show GENESIS Gallery Kolkata