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We are thrilled to announce that our visionary CEO, Ar. Vandana, has taken the architecture world by storm by entering the prestigious WADE ASIA Awards 2024! This event, renowned as India’s premier architectural platform, is home to the massive DESIGNS INDIA conference and the world’s largest award ceremony for Women in Architecture and Interior Design.
A testament to her multifaceted talents, Ar. Vandana has been shortlisted in the highly competitive painting category. As we eagerly await the results, let us delve into the three captivating paintings that have captured the attention of the esteemed judges.
The WADE ASIA Awards 2024 have recognized her ability to blend architectural precision with artistic expression, a combination that has made her a leader in the field. This achievement is a significant milestone, not just for Ar. Vandana but for all women in architecture and design.
1. All That We Have Left Behind/ Anantam/ Anantya- KONASEEMA
A strong anamnesis provoked me to recreate the paddy fields at Konaseema that I grew up amidst. The natural beauty of my ancestors’ land is a theme I keep revisiting in my artistic journey.
A canvas swathed in hazy hues of green recalls the luxuriant paddy fields that I set out to capture. What is important to me is the sensibilia, the essence of that memory as demonstrated by the rejection of mimesis in this work.
Here I have intertwined my childhood memories with the realisation of Reality, a profound understanding. In my vision, the paddy fields transform into a metaphor for life— all-encompassing and ever-present. Like life, they seem to stretch into nothingness, far beyond the horizon. This pervasiveness, however, is punctuated by trees, much like the events that punctuate life. While they appear to be the definitive and identifying features, in truth, they only represent a fraction of the broader reality.
2. A paean to the past: Bhutanatha Temple, Badami
A dusty, warm afternoon saw me exploring the ruins of Badami when I stumbled upon the 7th-century Bhutanatha Temple on the banks of Lake Agastya. The desolate mise-en-scene immediately grabbed my attention, and I instinctively reached for my brushes for a quick sketch. The asymmetry of the jagged edges of the plinth and the steps that led into the water intrigued me. As the sunlight danced on the serene green waters, the reflection of the temple appeared unwavering and unforgiving, revealing the stark reality of the monument’s decay and ruin.
I have enjoyed playing with texture in this painting, building on it with dabs of paint to recreate the rustic, weathered facade. The sombre colour palette also echoes the feelings of emptiness and solitude that suddenly overcame me.
An age has passed, yet the shrine commands attention that is difficult to ignore. I smiled quietly, noting how the ancient shrine held its own against the rocky outcrop that towered behind it.
3. Tete-a-tete @ Hutheesing Temple, Ahmedabad
It is said that Art is the expression of human emotions, and nowhere else did this aphorism seem truer than at the exquisite Hutheesingh temple in Ahmedabad. There was something transcendental in that time and space that drew me to capture it on my sketchpad. I still recall the quietude that compelled me into contemplation. Then arose the loud whispers of narratives from the very souls of the master craftsmen. I fell headlong into a conversation with them, comprehending their pain and pleasure as they created the masterpiece.
As an artist, I chose to forsake the linearity and detailing of an architectural drawing here, ignoring a natural temptation. Instead of using white paint, I left the white canvas exposed to experiment with a raw look. This technique presented its own difficulties, and I consider it one of the most challenging works to date.
While explaining perspective drawing to my niece Tara, I sensed a white light illuminating the marble edifice and was wonderstruck at how expansive the temple’s aura seemed compared to its modest proportions. The architect and urban planner in me immediately grasped the importance of such structures in our congested and choked cities. There is yet more we can learn from the 176-year-old temple, like the elaborate rain-harvesting system with underground tanks extending along the entire courtyard. The visionary builders of India’s past have so much to show if we are willing to see!
