BySiddhi Jain

November 26, 2020 (IANSlife) An online solo show of contemporary artist and sculptor Hemi Bawa, showcases glass sculptures, mixed media and paintings created by her. Titled 'Bodies of Light' the exhibition focuses on her commitment to material exploration and articulating the integral possibilities of light and space within her work.  

Curated by Lina Vincent and visualised by Ashwini Pai Bahadur of Artspeaks India, 'Bodies of Light' has elements of her eclectic journey, that spans more than five decades and is a compilation of Bawa's artwork. It provides glimpses into the wide repertoire that the artist has established in her career.

The exhibition attempts to build a dialogue between different aspects of her practice, linking her continued engagement with glass as a medium, with her paintings and mixed media practices. At the core of her art lies an intuitive spirit, seeking to unearth and present universal truths. A significant series of works in cast glass are part of the show, showcasing Bawa’s intrinsic understanding of the multifaceted nature of the medium. 

A niche and complex technique, working with glass has meant managing and nurturing balance between contrasts – liquid and solid, soft and hard, transparency and opacity, fragility and strength. It is the ruggedness and tenacity of the medium and its ability to trap light, that sustains Hemi’s passion for it, as seen in the 'Head series and the Torsos'.

Highlighted in the show is an ongoing series in which Bawa presents her spontaneous reflections on the circumstances of the pandemic, invoking the sense of restriction and immobility, of boundaries and shackles, in expressively constructed installations.

The show can be viewed online on www.Artspeaksindia.com, the website of Artspeaks India, a multidisciplinary arts, design and cultural development initiative,  untill January 15 next year

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Siddhi Jain can be contacted at siddhi.j@ians.in