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Mesmerising and intriguing results

October 17 - 23, 2018
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Gulf Weekly Mesmerising and intriguing results

Gulf Weekly Mai Al Khatib-Camille
By Mai Al Khatib-Camille

ARTIST Madhu Sarda is now captivating art lovers across the kingdom with a series of shimmering new paintings inspired by a tantalising tool of expression that is gathering momentum across the globe.

Renowned for both its experimental nature and ethereal aesthetic, resin is proving particularly popular among today’s top creatives.

While the compound – which can be cultivated naturally or synthetically created – has traditionally been used in polishes and varnishes, many contemporary artists and designers are finding new and inventive ways to incorporate the malleable material into their practice.

Madhu, a Nepalese expat, has recently had her work on display at the Bahrain Art Gallery in Hoora. Her work boasted a kaleidoscope of colour that she executed after taking a special course abroad in the art of using resin.

Resin is a two-part compound that hardens to a clear glossy finish. Paint can be added to it or the resin can be poured over the painting to create the sheen finish.

Madhu, 40, a mother of two, said she found its use both mesmerising and intriguing whilst researching it online and started exploring the art technique further.

She grabbed an opportunity to explore it further during a summer holiday to the US with her husband Sandip, 43, finance director of DHL Supply Chain Saudi Arabia, and their daughters Sejal, 14, and Sumedha, 10.

“I love it because the kind of glazing effect and depth resin gives to a painting is unseen and unheard of in any other art form, in my opinion,” said Madhu, who lives in Barbar, and specialises in banking and administration. “It has a brilliant sheen to it.

“Once you get your hands on it the possibilities are endless. Each piece takes more than a week to create, from thinking of a design and pattern to the combination of colours, and then actually creating and curating it. For the best effects, these things cannot be rushed.

“I have other plans now and would love to create some table tops, serving trays and counter tops with resin in the near future.”

Lustrous like glass but compositionally similar to plastic, resin effortlessly pairs form with functionality, resulting in an endless amount of artistic possibilities. As Madhu has discovered, there’s an eclectic selection of resin art to be explored, from spectacular sculptural works and  three-dimensional paintings to twinkling jewellery and avant-garde furniture. Dazzling and diverse, the versatility and beauty of the remarkable material appears to hold no boundaries.

Madhu, whose art pieces are often inspired by nature, features an ode to Bahrain, landscapes and Buddha in her canvases that vary in sizes and have been snapped up by collectors from anything between BD100 and BD300.

Her ‘Ode to Bahrain’ is a 60cm x 80cm wooden canvas that is near and dear to her heart. “As beautiful as this small island is, it has its own beautiful soul,” she said. “This painting is a tribute to beautiful Bahrain and its lovely people.

“I have felt its warmth since I first set foot in this kingdom. The pearls in the centre are extra special as it symbolises its interesting history.”

Her ‘Luminous Layers’ resin art piece includes three 30cmx30cm wooden boards to create a vibrant image.

“These layers are like layers of life,” Madhu explained. “It’s luminious, dark and light. What I love most about this piece is the way the colours blend and compliment each other to create a beautiful and soothing vision.

“The ultimate thing to be achieved from art is a sense of delight. When you enjoy something so much that you lose any sense of time or even hunger, it’s a calling.

“When I paint, hours fly by, it’s like a form of meditation.”

Madhu’s love of art started at an early age as she was growing up in the small Nepalese town of Biratnagar.

 “I was surrounded by beauty and beautiful people,” she said. “It taught me to be thankful and appreciate the smallest of wonders that life has to offer. I guess that’s why art came naturally to me.

“My fondness of painting and photography grew and I was determined to try and capture the essence, attitude, beauty and soul of my surroundings. Each painting is a piece of my soul.”

She started creating serious work using oils and acrylics and also produced pieces inspired by the Indian folk art style of Madhubani, painting done with fingers, twigs, brushes, nib-pens, and matchsticks, Warli painting, characterised by eye-catching geometrical patterns and Mandala art which often evokes a highly-detailed pattern utilising a circular shape.

She has been selling paintings and taking on commissioned work since 2008 in the UAE and has her imprint in various venues in Bahrain.  “Be it abstract, traditional or modern art, I’m at ease with all of them,” Madhu said. “I specialise in wall murals and have created quite a few paintings and Mandala art on the walls of Bahrain.”

Madhu artwork has been exhibited in several galleries and she has worked for the Northern Governorate as a part of the Jid Al Haj Beautification Project and the Abu Saiba Primary Boys School Painting Project.

She also participated in the Coca Cola Art Exhibition in 2015 at Amwaj Marina and painted alongside famous Bahraini artist Abbas Al Mosawi at the Al Aali Art Festival. She also participated in an exhibition in Dubai as well as having her work on show at the RIA Institute and at Harbour Towers as part of the Art for Autism initiative.

And, her photographs were selected to be a part of the Bahraini Muharraq Heritage Festival staged at Arad Fort.

Her mentor in the Bahrain art scene is Mohamed Taha who had his work recently exhibited at Harbour Towers too. They first met at the Al Rahma Centre art competition three years ago in which he judged her prize-winning work.

Madhu, who last year dined at the Mount Everest Base Camp as part of a fundraising experience spearheaded by Michelin-starred Chef Vineet Bhatia, said: “As an artist, I enjoy participating in exhibitions. I always hope to create an embodiment of the beauty of life and, hopefully, ensure that my work has a soul and feels like a breeze or a breath of fresh air.”

To find out more about Madhu’s work, follow her on Twitter @SardaMadhu, on Instagram @madhu_sarda, on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/madhunsandip, on her website https://www.facebook.com/MadhubaniArts/?ref=aymt_homepage_panel or email her on sarda_madhu90@hotmail.com.

 







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