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ART: Artistic inspiration in spite of restrictions

Friday April 17 2020
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'Opening Doors Within I' by Indian-born Drishti Vohra. PHOTO | COURTESY | DRISHTI VOHRA

By KARI MUTU

The Covid-19 pandemic has caused the cancellation of most art events. But Indian-born Drishti Vohra is positively exploring this unprecedented period through her paintings, raising attention to the beauty of nature as seen in flowers.

An acrylics painting called Purity shows a highly detailed white lotus flower surrounded by big, black leaves.

It is a clean, neatly constructed illustration depicting how, says Vohra, in spite of growing in muddy water the lotus flower maintains its beauty and purity.

“One can achieve and be what they aspire for even if the circumstances are not the best,” says Vohra.

Blossom is another of her nature projects. Here she is focusing on rose flowers, which symbolise hope.

A dark pink rose in full bloom and viewed from above fills up the entire circular canvas in the painting Blossom 1.

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Round canvases are uncommon but the spherical shape of Vohra’s detailed rose paintings suits the form of the frame while the minimal canvas edges keeps your attention centred on the blossom.

At the same time, she is continuing with Opening Doors from Within paintings. This is a collection of drawings themed around old-fashioned exterior doors.

The wooden entrances have arched transom windows above them and some are framed with ornate pillars or potted plants.

There is an old-world charm to these doors which have bold blue and red colours. They are all slightly ajar as though subtly inviting the viewer to enter the house or open their inner doors, an apt gesture when we are sequestered in our homes.

Vohra’s hope is for people to sit back from their busy lives, “introspect our actions, find unity and harmony with nature.”

Her most recent exhibition slated for the Talisman Restaurant in Nairobi was postponed due to Covid-19 measures. But she is staying connected to art followers through social media platforms.

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