Arpana Caur has always preoccupied herself with the cause that she holds closest to her heart-the plight of women in India. All her paintings in some way or the other have figuratively narrated the story of Indian women- past and present. They are about human tragedies, emotions and traumatic experiences of life. She has always strongly emphasized humanism .Her humanistic depiction of Sikh Riots earned her much critical acclaim.
She was born in Delhi in 1954, and is a self-taught artist.
A marriage of styles
In Arpana’s paintings we see a synthesis of Indian miniature paintings and Modern art. This synthesis has produced a new language of painting, which is both evocative and eloquent. The Metaphysical quality of her paintings adds to the potency of the themes
Vivid Colors and hollow eyes
Arpana Caur Paintings seem to be a study in colors. Her deliberate use of vibrant and bright colors to depict melancholic scenes show her maturity in handling colors. The other characteristic feature of her paintings is the “hollow eye”; the suffering of her subjects are wonderfully projected through their eyes. Their hollowness say more than any words could ever have.
The mystical element of Arpana Caur Paintings
Arpana’s paintings show her mystical temperament. Most of her paintings have a spiritual theme and draw inspiration from indigenous cult movements like the Bhakti cult. The songs of the mystic poet, Kabir and the Baul minstrels of Bengal find echo in Arpanas brilliantly colored canvases. Her paintings indeed preach the foremost philosophy of the bhakti leaders- tolerance.
Some of Arpana Caur’s best known works
- Where have all the flowers gone to
- A landscape with knives
- Day and night
- Creator and Destroyer
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