ABSTRACTS - 'PLUNGE AND EMERGE AGAIN'

MANISHA PANDEY MISHRA IS A SELF-TAUGHT ARTIST PRESENTLY RESIDING AT DELHI. SHE FORAYED INTO THE ARENA OF PAINTING SOME 12 YEARS AGO MAINLY BECAUSE OF CREATIVE ENVIRONMENT AT CULTURALLY VIBRANT CITY OF VADODARA IN GUJARAT, INDIA. MANISHA CANDIDLY ADMITS THE IMMENSE IMPACT OF TRUE GUIDANCE THAT SHE RECEIVED FROM EMINENT ARTISTS OF CITY DURING HER JOURNEY TO DISCOVER THE ARTIST IN HER. SHE STARTED WITH WORKING ON GLASS MEDIUM USING OIL COLOURS, MAINLY PAINTING PORTRAITS OF WOMEN. HER GLASS WORKS WERE WIDELY APPRECIATED AND THAT ENCOURAGED HER TO TAKE UP CHALLENGE OF ENTERING INTO THE FIELD OF CONTEMPORARY ART. ALL ALONG HER JOURNEY TOWARDS CONTEMPORARY ART, SHE READ EXTENSIVELY ON TOPICS RANGING FROM HINDU MYTHOLOGY, SPIRITUAL TEXTS AND ITS RELEVANCE IN CURRENT ERA. THE SOCIO-ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES, ESPECIALLY AFFECTING LARGE SECTIONS OF THE SOCIETY ARE AREA OF HER INTEREST. GREATLY INFLUENCED BY THE LIFE AND TEACHING OF BUDDHA, SHE BEGAN HER SECOND PHASE OF JOURNEY BY RECREATING SOME TOUCHING MOMENTS OF BUDDHAS LIFE ON PAPER. HOWEVER, SHE COULDNT RESIST HER INNER URGE TO PAINT ISSUES WHICH CAUSED MISERY TO A LARGE CROSS- SECTION OF SOCIETY ESPECIALLY THE FLOOD FURRY EFFECTING LARGE SEGMENT OF SOCIETY. AN ARDENT OPTIMIST, ARTIST BELIEVE THAT SPIRIT OF LIFE PREVAILED OVER THE FLOOD FURRY AND ITS MOVE ON IN-SPITE OF ALL ODDS. PEOPLE THERE ARE READY TAKE CALL FROM THE EMERGING INDIA TO TAKE NATION BEYOND MOON. WHILE SURGING AHEAD, PEOPLE ARE CONNECTED TO THE ROOT, SPIRITUALITY - WHAT WE GOT FROM OUR ANCESTOR. MANISHAS WORK ARE NOT SCRIPTED WITH COMPLETENESS BUT CONNECT WITH TODAYS REALITY AND CARRY THE HERITAGE OF MADHUBANI STYLE WHICH IS VERY INDIAN AND ETHNIC IN SPIRIT.