Nivedita Saha whose artworks are currently on display at Grand Hyatt speaks about keeping mind, body and soul together through her work

After a ten-year stint in the field of information technology, Nivedita Saha rediscovered her artistic roots.

“Art helps me with my inner struggles,” says Nivedita. “It takes away all kinds of hell. No matter how much I may struggle, I can't think of anything I'd rather be doing than this creative work, which is a lot like giving birth. And producing a healthy baby like a good book, painting, sculpture, song or film is possible only if we have engaged in the process that makes conception possible in the first place. I live for creating even more than myself.”

Over the last six years Nivedita has devised a completely original style of painting by exploiting various mediums. Her inner thoughts – mainly themes related to ‘women’– are the statements of her style, which is abstract yet realism coupled with thought-provoking illustrations.

Nivedita defines Sufism as the stem of her creations. “I believe in the Sufi state of mind because its state is like water that adopts the shape and form of anything that it is poured into.”

“I am interested in the effect that the environment has on our health and well-being and how to use this information in my work to create an environment that will enhance our lives. Our mind goes through many experiences - peace, anxiety, depression, fear, excitement, anger and so on - I try to capture that through many different strokes in my compositions,” she says.

One of her recent works ‘Mind, body and soul’, on exhibit at ‘Different Strokes’, symbolises the three important realities of human existence - state of mind, body and spirit.

“I work with watercolour as a medium,” she elaborates. “Paper is my first love and my style pretty much remains the same all through only the technique of using the medium keeps changing.”

“The work is the expression of my thoughts and vision. It is a means of communication with the audience. It is about unspoken dialogues between the artwork and the viewer. If I am able to talk to the audience through my paintings, I will be fortunate to call myself an artist,” she adds.

The artist’s (who has a formal degree in Bachelor of Fine Arts from the J.J Institute of Applied Arts) current body of work is an attempt to explore the differentiation of opposite factors in any given system as well as the relationship which exists between these opposite factors in the context of nature, man and woman, stagnancy and fluidity. The fluid medium of water-colours leads us into a journey of self-discovery where her feelings translate into thoughts.

Nivedita whose studio is situated amidst the abundant greenery, wild rare birds and tranquillity facing the beautiful expanse of the Nad Al Sheba race course says, “I never believed there is something like heaven until I moved into this new place. As a dear friend has rightly stated 'What you see around you, inspires you” and it is so true.”

"There’s no retirement for an artist, it’s a way of life so there’s no end in sight - only a path to follow. I believe art can echo a major change in people’s life, be it in any form music, painting, dance or poetry. It gives one a moment to stop, think, disconnect and introspect. Today contemporary art is not necessarily beautiful to the eyes but the thought is most beautiful. It is based on controversial subjects, shows the mirror to the society…raises questions and triggers change…makes an onlooker react.”

Event details

‘Different Strokes’ will be on till September 18 at Al Nakheel Lounge, Grand Hyatt, Dubai.

citytime@emirates.net.ae